Squeamishly

2 definitions found

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

  Squeamish \Squeam"ish\ (skw[=e]m"[i^]sh), a. [OE. squaimous,
     sweymous, probably from OE. sweem, swem, dizziness, a
     swimming in the head; cf. Icel. sveimr a bustle, a stir,
     Norw. sveim a hovering about, a sickness that comes upon one,
     Icel. svimi a giddiness, AS. sw[imac]ma. The word has been
     perhaps confused with qualmish. Cf. {Swim} to be dizzy.]


     Having a stomach that is easily turned or nauseated; hence,
     nice to excess in taste; fastidious; easily disgusted; apt to
     be offended at trifling improprieties.
     [1913 Webster]
  
           Quoth he, that honor's very squeamish
           That takes a basting for a blemish.      --Hudibras.
     [1913 Webster]
  
           His muse is rustic, and perhaps too plain
           The men of squeamish taste to entertain. --Southern.
     [1913 Webster]
  
           So ye grow squeamish, Gods, and sniff at heaven. --M.
                                                    Arnold.
     [1913 Webster]
  
     Syn: Fastidious; dainty; overnice; scrupulous. See
          {Fastidious}.
          [1913 Webster] -- {Squeam"ish*ly}, adv. --
          {Squeam"ish*ness}, n.
          [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  squeamishly
       adv : in a squeamish manner; "`I would rather not touch,' he said
             squeamishly"