eggshells

Breakfast debris remains

Eggshells are the hard outer covering of eggs, thin and brittle once dried.

They break easily and leave sharp fragments—hence walking on eggshells, meaning to act with extreme caution around someone easily upset or offended.

The image is of tiptoeing through a kitchen floor covered in broken shells.

caution

treading

Walking on a surface

sensitive · tiptoeing · guarded · tentative · wary · diplomatic · tactful · circumspect · prudent · mindful

fragility

brittle

Liable to shatter

breakable · crack · shatter · crumble · vulnerable · frail · crisp · crush · snap · fracture

protection

membrane

Thin tissue sheet

calcium · porous · permeable · coating · cuticle · bloom · incubation · embryo · yolk · albumen

fragments

shards

Broken fragments of brittle material

  • piecesParts of something divided
  • bitsSmall portions or pieces
  • chipsThin fried slices

flakes · crumbles · crushed · broken · scattered · debris · slivers · mosaic · craft · confetti

compost

fertilizer

Soil nutrient supplement

  • calciumElement twenty, builds bones
  • gardenCultivated plant area
  • soilGround matter for planting

amendment · nutrients · biodegradable · organic · mulch · vermicompost · worms · decompose · crush · grind

color

white

Absence of pigment

bone · pale · matte · neutral · warm · tint · paint · satin · finish · interior

Categories
Opposites
egg component (shell vs. contents)

eggshellsegg white

Clear protein surrounding yolk

egg yolk · albumen · yolk

fragility/durability

eggshellsarmor

Protective combat covering

steel plating · fortification · rhinoceros hide · cast iron · concrete

interpersonal tension (idiom: "walking on eggshells")

eggshellssolid ground

Stable surface beneath

firm footing · safe space · comfort zone · easy street · thick skin

Phrases
Family

eggshell

Familiarity
Top 20,000
Profile
Known to kids · Used worldwide · Timeless · Concrete · Everyday, not technical · Rated G