Fastidiousness

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Fastidious \Fas*tid"i*ous\, a. [L. fastidiosus disdainful, fr.
     fastidium loathing, aversion, perh. fr. fastus arrogance (of
     uncertain origin) + taedium loathing. Cf. {Tedious}, {Fash}.]
     Difficult to please; delicate to a fault; suited with
     difficulty; squeamish; as, a fastidious mind or ear; a
     fastidious appetite.


     [1913 Webster]
  
           Proud youth ! fastidious of the lower world. --Young.
  
     Syn: Squeamish; critical; overnice; difficult; punctilious.
          
  
     Usage: {Fastidious}, {Squeamish}. We call a person fastidious
            when his taste or feelings are offended by trifling
            defects or errors; we call him squeamish when he is
            excessively nice or critical on minor points, and also
            when he is overscrupulous as to questions of duty.
            "Whoever examines his own imperfections will cease to
            be fastidious; whoever restrains his caprice and
            scrupulosity will cease to be squeamish." --Crabb. --
            {Fas*tid"i*ous*ly}, adv. -- {Fas*tid"i*ous*ness}, n.
            Fastigiate

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  fastidiousness
       n : the trait of being meticulous about matters of taste or
           style; "neatness and fastidiousness of dress"