Ex'qui-site1, a.
(ĕks'kwĭ-zit), a. [Lat. exquisitum, p. p. of exquirere; Sp. exquisito, It. esquisito, equisito, Fr. exquis.]
Sense 1. Carefully selected or sought out; hence, of distinguishing and surpassing quality; exceedingly nice; delightfully excellent; giving rare satisfaction; as, exquisite workmanship.
I have no exquisite reason for ’t, but I have reason good enough. Shak.
Plate of rare device, and jewels of rich and exquisite form. Shak.
Sense 2. Exceeding; extreme; keen;—used in a bad or a good sense; as, exquisite pain or pleasure.
In the vast halls of man’s frailty, there are separate and more gloomy chambers of a frailty more exquisite and consummate. De Quincey.
Sense 3. Of delicate perception or close and accurate discrimination; not easy to satisfy; exact; nice; fastidious; as, exquisite judgment, taste, or discernment.
His books of Oriental languages, wherein he was exquisite. Fuller.
Synonyms—Nice; delicate; exact; accurate; refined; matchless; consummate; perfect.