fine

I

[[t]faɪn[/t]]

adj. fin•er, fin•est,

1) of superior or best quality; of high or highest grade; excellent:

fine wine[/ex]

2) consisting of minute particles:

fine sand[/ex]

3) very thin; slender:

fine thread[/ex]

4) keen; sharp, as a tool

5) delicate in texture or workmanship:

fine cotton[/ex]

6) highly skilled; accomplished:

a fine musician[/ex]

7) trained to the maximum degree, as an athlete

8) characterized by refinement or elegance; polished; refined:

fine manners[/ex]

9) affectedly ornate or elegant

10) delicate; subtle:

a fine distinction[/ex]

11) cvb healthy; well

12) elegant in appearance; smart

13) good-looking; handsome:

a fine young man[/ex]

14) mel (of a precious metal or its alloy) free from impurities; containing a large amount of pure metal

15) inf Informal. excellently; very well

16) finely; delicately:

fine wrought lettering[/ex]

17) to become fine or finer, as by refining

18) to make fine or finer, esp. by refining or pulverizing

19) to reduce the size or proportions of (often used with down or away):

to fine down heavy features[/ex]

20) vin to clarify (wines or spirits) by filtration

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Etymology: 1250–1300; ME fin < AF, OF: extreme, farthest, best < L fīnis end II

fine

[[t]faɪn[/t]] n. v. fined, fin•ing

1) a sum of money imposed as a penalty for an offense or dereliction:

a parking fine[/ex]

2) law a fee paid by a feudal tenant to a landlord, as on the renewal of tenure

3) law (formerly) a conveyance of land through decree of an English court, based upon a simulated lawsuit

4) archaic a penalty of any kind

5) to subject to a fine

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- in fine

Etymology: 1150–1200; ME fin < AF, OF < L fīnis end, ML: settlement, payment III

fi•ne

[[t]ˈfi neɪ[/t]] n.

mad mus the end