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delicates
This term refers specifically to clothing made from fragile fabrics, such as silk, lace, or fine synthetics, that require gentle handling during laundering. It is almost exclusively used in the context of laundry and garment care, often appearing as a setting on washing machines.
Grammatically, this word is used as a plural noun. While "delicate" is commonly an adjective, "delicates" functions as a collective noun for a category of items. It does not have a singular form in this specific laundry context; one would say "a delicate item" rather than "a delicate."
Meanings
Examples
Please put your delicates in a mesh bag before starting the machine.
Does this washing machine have a setting for delicates?
I should probably hand wash these delicates to avoid shrinking them.
She carefully folded her silk delicates and placed them in the top drawer.
Wait, did you put the delicates in the heavy duty cycle?
The hotel laundry service charges extra for washing delicates.
I wonder if these delicates will survive a quick spin cycle.
Collocations & Compounds
wash delicates
Verb collocation: to clean fragile clothing using a gentle method
separate delicates
Verb collocation: to sort fragile items away from heavier laundry
silk delicates
Noun collocation: undergarments or clothing made specifically from silk fabric
lace delicates
Noun collocation: undergarments or clothing featuring lace fabric