gingerbread work (jinjerbredwerk)

Ornamental work cut, carved, or formed in various fanciful shapes, for buildings, furniture, etc.: a term of contempt. The rooms are too small, and too much decorated with carving and gilding, which is a kind of gingerbread -work. Smollett , France and Italy, xxx, And listening, sometimes to a moan, And sometimes to a clatter, Whene'er the wind at night would rouse The gingerbread - work on his house. Lowell , Unhappy Lot of Mr. Knott. 1. The Andro- IMG:content-2306.png:[blocks in formation] Prithee, gentle officer, Handle me gingerly , or I fall to pieces. Mas singer , Parliament of Love, v. 1. Walk circumspectly, tread gingerly , step warily, lift not up one foot till ye have found sure footing for the other. J. Trapp , On 1 Pet. iii. 17. For my part, I can scarcely rely on the timeline or efficacy of a medicine gingerly administered in 1875, and not even expected to operate till 1890. W. R. Greg, Misc. E ays, 1st ser., p. 80. gingerly (jin'jer-li), a. [ ginger2 + -ly1, after gingerly , adv .] Cautious; mincing; dainty. The man eyed it with reverence. Then with a gingerly gesture he gave it back. M. N. Murfree, Prophet of Great Smoky Mountains. gingerne t (jin'jer-nes), n. [ ginger2 + -ne .] The character of being ginger; nicene ; delicacy; mincing ne . Their ginger ne in tripping on toes, like young goats. Stubbes , Anat. of Abuses (ed. 1595), p. 42.