nicety
5
7.7
- noun
- /ˈnaɪsɪti/
:
matiz
- The architect emphasized the importance of every small nicety in the building's design to create a harmonious effect.
- a legal nicety
Do you know to a nicety what you want, what you will stand for, and what you won't stand for?
- Do you know to a nicety what you want, what you will stand for, and what you won't stand for?
Examples
-
But once battle is joined, there is neither time nor quiet for such niceties.
Fiction book (1990) -
Let's not write off novel ideas just because they don't fit prior practice and legal niceties.
Blog text (6) -
Do you know to a nicety what you want, what you will stand for, and what you won't stand for?
-
I'll observe the proper niceties if they allow me that.
Fiction book (1996) -
The Chief Constable was unimpressed by such niceties of distinction.
Fiction book (1996) -
Being a blue-collar kid trying desperately to figure out the white-collar niceties can be really frustrating.
Blog text (15) -
When a child is classified as emotionally or behaviorally disturbed, the niceties of differential diagnosis are denied us.
Academic text (1994) -
Writing in this context, Scharf was far less constrained by the niceties that had governed his section in the official exhibition catalog.
Academic text (2012) -
Now that Hal ate most meals alone, he'd shed some of the niceties of dining, often forgetting silverware or table manners.
Fiction book (1990) -
Understanding the niceties of social etiquette can help you navigate formal gatherings with ease.
Synonyms
127
3.8
A small amount that makes something a little different
74
5.1
A small difference in meaning or feeling that is hard to notice
54
6.8
A small important detail that is hard to notice
3
6.1
A small, subtle difference in meaning or opinion
How Subtle
Surface Forms
Morphology
Etymology
The word nicety comes from the older word nice, which once meant 'delicate' or 'dainty'. So a nicety is a small, fine point or tiny detail that can make a big difference.