Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • In a touchy manner; with irritation; peevishly.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • adverb In a touchy manner.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adverb In a touchy manner

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adverb in a touchy manner

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

touchy +‎ -ly

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Examples

  • Eric Idle talks, a bit touchily, about what he thinks is funny.

    Idle chatter ... Frank Wilson 2007

  • From her work and from her association with women who had organized suffrage associations in hostile cities, or had defended political prisoners, she caught something of an impersonal attitude; saw that she had been as touchily personal as Maud

    Main Street 2004

  • She nodded, then shook her head, and touchily left Mrs. Howland to get out of it any meaning she desired.

    Main Street 2004

  • So, although he was not generally a defensive person, he reacted a little touchily to the Scientific

    The Great Sorting 1995

  • We've been bloody thorough, 'he said, somewhat touchily.

    The Jigsaw Man Britton, Paul, 1946- 1997

  • Junior asked touchily, laying his arm across Alex's shoulders.

    Best Kept Secrets Brown, Sandra, 1948- 1989

  • "I didn't drag her out here," Reede said touchily.

    Best Kept Secrets Brown, Sandra, 1948- 1989

  • It is that of a light-weight; brave and aggressive, physically tough and quick; highly sexed and rather-promiscuous; touchily proud, but with a feeling for the underdog; resembling Alexander in his precocious competence, gift of leadership, and romantic sense of destiny.

    The King Must Die Renault, Mary, 1905-1983 1958

  • "I didn't ask you to come and make fun of me," Virginia replied touchily.

    Hepsey Burke

  • "I'm not asking your advice on matrimony, you old fool, I'm asking if you've got anybody in this one-horse place who can marry folks legally," said Marc, touchily.

    Across the Mesa Helen Bagg 1935

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