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Des plus délicates.

English translation: extremely delicate

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
French term or phrase:Des plus délicates.
English translation:extremely delicate
Entered by: angela3thomas

18:51 Apr 24, 2017
French to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Archaeology / ancient art
French term or phrase: Des plus délicates.
Hi again!
DOC: 1907 Museum catalog of ancient Egyptian mirrors. Catalog entry.
CONTEXT: 44035. Miroir. - Bronze, bois, argent et pâtes d'incrustation. [Pl. IX] Technique: ***Des plus délicates.*** Le disque paraît avoir été découpé dans une feuille de l'alliage spécial; il a été non doré, mais argenté, ainsi qu'en témoigne la patine ardoise d'un ton uniforme.
ATTEMPT: Technique: Extremely delicate. The disk seems to have been cut from a sheet of the special alloy [what he calls pink metal]; it has not been gilded, but silvered, as evidenced by the slate-grey patina of uniform tone.
ISSUE: I gather this is all it means: of the most delicate = extremely delicate. I can't image that it means difficult, refined or subtle, but could it be: extremely fine technique/finest and more? Any suggestions for narrowing down the possibilities? What feels right?
Thanks in advance!
angela3thomas
United States
extremely delicate
Explanation:
Or highly, or very.

'L'adjectif qui suit la locution "des plus" prise dans le sens de "très" se met toujours au pluriel. Il prend la marque de genre du nom auquel il se rapporte.

La période que nous venons de vivre a été des plus mouvementées (mouvementées est au féminin comme le nom période auquel il se rapporte).
Nous avons entre nos mains un rapport des plus intéressants sur la question (intéressants est au masculin comme le nom rapport auquel il se rapporte).
Selected response from:

philgoddard
United States
Grading comment
Thank you! The explanation is very clear and helpful.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +4extremely delicate
philgoddard


  

Answers


9 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +4
extremely delicate


Explanation:
Or highly, or very.

'L'adjectif qui suit la locution "des plus" prise dans le sens de "très" se met toujours au pluriel. Il prend la marque de genre du nom auquel il se rapporte.

La période que nous venons de vivre a été des plus mouvementées (mouvementées est au féminin comme le nom période auquel il se rapporte).
Nous avons entre nos mains un rapport des plus intéressants sur la question (intéressants est au masculin comme le nom rapport auquel il se rapporte).


    Reference: http://grammaire.reverso.net/4_2_10_des_plus_tres.shtml
philgoddard
United States
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 52
Grading comment
Thank you! The explanation is very clear and helpful.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Cécile A.-C.
1 hr
agree  mrrafe
1 hr
agree  ph-b (X): Would 'most delicate' work here?
9 hrs
agree  Chakib Roula
11 hrs
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