FINESSE

I. noun Etymology: Middle English, from Middle French, from fin Date: 1528 refinement or delicacy of workmanship, structure, or texture, skillful handling of a situation ; adroit maneuvering, the withholding of one's highest card or trump in the hope that a lower card will take the trick because the only opposing higher card is in the hand of an opponent who has already played, II. verb (~d; finessing) Date: 1746 intransitive verb to make a ~ in playing cards, transitive verb to play (a card) in a ~, 2. to bring about, direct, or manage by adroit maneuvering , evade , skirt