I. fine ˈfīn noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English fin, fine, from Old French fin, from Latin finis boundary, limit, end — more at final
1. obsolete : end , conclusion , close
2.
a. : a sum formerly paid as compensation or for exemption from punishment but now imposed as punishment for a crime — distinguished from forfeiture and penalty
b. : a forfeiture or penalty paid to an injured party in a civil action
c. : a sum of money ordered paid by one in contempt of court to vindicate the court's authority
d.
(1) : a sum paid to a library as a penalty for keeping a book beyond the date due
(2) : the monetary penalty imposed for infraction of a rule or obligation
club members who were late had to pay a 25-cent fine
3.
a. feudal law
(1) : a money payment made by a tenant to his lord on a particular occasion (as a transfer of the tenant right)
(2) : an endowment whereby a tenant's widow was permitted to claim her dower
b.
(1) : a final amicable agreement or compromise of an actual or fictitious controversy or suit formerly made in England by leave of the king or his justices
(2) : a settlement giving exemption or release ; especially : one obtained by a payment of money
c. or fine of lands : a compromise of a fictitious suit used as a form of conveyance of lands where ordinary conveyances were less efficacious (as in cases involving married women or entailed estates)
d. English & early American law : an agreement effecting a conveyance of estates in land by entering into a friendly lawsuit whereby one party's claim of title was formally recognized by the other, putting an end to all litigation between them
e. English law : a sum of money charged for any benefit, favor, or privilege (as obtaining or renewing a lease)
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- in fine
II. fine verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle English finen, from Middle French finer to end, pay (as a fine), from fin, n., end
transitive verb
1. : to pay by way of fine or composition
2.
[ fine (I) ]
: to set a fine on by judgment of a court especially as a punishment : punish by fine
intransitive verb
archaic : to pay a fine, penalty, composition, ransom, or consideration for any special privilege or exemption ; especially : to pay for release from accepting the duties of an office — often used with for, off, or down
III. fine adjective
( -er/-est )
Etymology: Middle English fin, fine, from Old French fin, from Latin finis, n., boundary, limit, end (as in such phrases as finis honorum the height of honor, the highest honor; translation of Greek telos, literally, end) — more at final , wheel
1.
a. : free from impurity : brought to perfection : highly purified : refined , superior , pure
fine gold and silver
b. of a metal : having a stated proportion of pure metal in the composition
gold 23 karats fine
— compare fineness 2b
c. of glass : freed from bubbles
2.
a.
(1) : very small : minute
fine print
(2) : marked by subtlety, refinement, or intricacy of thought or expression : hairsplitting
very fine legal points were involved
I cannot follow these fine distinctions
(3) : performed with extreme care and accuracy
fine measurement
fine adjustment
(4) of bodily tremors : of slight excursion
b. : not coarse : constituting small particles
fine sand
fine flour
c.
(1) : not thick or clumsy : slender , filmy
fine thread
fine chiffon
a fine -boned hand
(2) of wool : having a diameter similar to that of merino wool
(3) of paper : of a grade suitable for writing, printing, or drawing
d. : thin , keen , attenuated
a sword with a fine edge
e.
(1) : made of delicate materials : delicately fashioned or proportioned : exquisite in texture : light , clear , fair , fragile
he was fine in profile, in the texture of his fair skin — Osbert Sitwell
many of the present inhabitants have fine skins, fair hair, and florid complexions — Tobias Smollett
fine linen
fine china
(2) : sharp forward or aft — used of a ship
f.
(1) : trained to a point of weight and muscular activity close to the limit of efficiency — used of an athlete or animal
(2) cricket : being to the rear of the defending batsman and nearer than usual to the line of flight of a bowled ball
caught at fine leg
— compare square
g. : having a delicate or subtle quality
the fine scent of burning wax — Vicki Baum
the fine bouquet of a vintage wine
the fine irony of it all
fine , rapier-edged humor
3.
a. obsolete : clever , ingenious , cunning , crafty
b. : subtle, sensitive, or acute in perception or feeling
he has a fine ear for the … idiomatic English that passes for conversation among the youths of the day — Max Wilk
4.
a. : superior in character, nature, ability, or prospects : noble , skillful , excellent
a fine man
a fine ship
a fine musician
you have a fine future before you
b. : superior in construction, execution, design, or expression
a fine work of art
a fine orchestra was playing
c. : of noble or attractive appearance : beautiful , handsome , pleasant , bright
a fine view
a fine morning
a very fine garden
d.
(1) : ornate , showy : elegant
fine feathers make fine birds
wore a fine new dress
(2) of writing : excessively ornate : affectedly elegant : florid , rhetorical
this last sentence is so fine I am quite ashamed — Thomas Gray
(3) : marked by or displaying elegance or refinement often affected or excessive : fastidious , dainty
our fine neighbors wouldn't speak to the likes of us
sneered at the stranger's fine ways
5.
a. : splendid , notable , admirable
spoke with fine enthusiasm
his terrible slashing wit, his fine scorn of stupidity and cowardice — John Reed
what a fine darling baby
b. : great , terrific , awful — used as an intensive
had come running in a fine embarrassment — Glenway Westcott
you make a fine mistake if you think I'm out for quarreling — Mrs. Patrick Campbell
c. : very well : excellent
I feel fine
IV. fine adverb
Etymology: Middle English fin, fine, from fin, fine, adjective
1. : finely: as
a. : elegantly , mincingly
talks and walks so fine , just like a great lady
b. : splendidly , well
you did fine
he made out fine
I liked it fine
c. : subtly , delicately , minutely
the line between victory and defeat … will be fine drawn
2. Scotland : surely : for certain
fine I know him though I haven't seen him for years — John Buchan
3. : with a very narrow margin of time or space — often used with cut or run
close thing … mustn't run it so fine another time — P.G.Wodehouse
V. fine verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle English finen, from fin, fine, adjective
transitive verb
1. : refine , purify , clarify
fine and filter wine
beer is sometimes fined before bottling — B.M.Brown
fine gold
the glass will be fully fined before being admitted to the working chamber — Glass Industry
2. : to make finer or less coarse or dull in quality, size, bulk, texture, or appearance
fine his wits
: sharpen , pulverize — often used with down
the one-way disc plow … fines the soil to the extent of increasing losses from blowing — Soils & Men
the women, except … where Italian influence has fined down the bone structure, are … well built — Don Smith
material fined and refined until every … word … has its place in an artistic whole — Times Literary Supplement
fined his tuning, eliminating the interference — Rayne Kruger
in this story … human beings are fined down to bee size — New York Herald Tribune
3. : to make less or finer by graduations — used with away or down
fine down a ship's lines
intransitive verb
1. : to become fine, pure, or clear
the weather gradually fined
the ale will fine
— often used with off
2. : to become fine in lines or proportions : diminish , dwindle — often used with away or down
even her fatness seemed puppy fat … that must fine down before very long — Mollie Panter-Downes
VI. fi·ne ˈfē(ˌ)nā noun
Etymology: Italian, from Latin finis boundary, limit, end — more at final
: end — used as a direction in music to mark the closing point after a repeat
VII. fine fēn noun
( -s )
Etymology: French, short for fine champagne
: ordinary French brandy ; especially : one of undisclosed origin sold in French restaurants