fining

fine ¹

 (fīn)

adj. fin·er, fin·est

1.

a. Of superior quality, skill, or appearance: a fine day; a fine wine.

b. Excellent in character or ability: a fine person; a fine writer.

2. Very small in size, weight, or thickness: fine type; fine paper.

3.

a. Free from impurities.

b. Metallurgy Containing pure metal in a specified proportion or amount: gold 21 carats fine.

4. Very sharp; keen: a blade with a fine edge.

5. Thin; slender: fine hairs.

6. Carefully or delicately made or done: fine china. See Synonyms at exquisite.

7. Consisting of very small particles; not coarse: fine dust.

8.

a. Marginally different or subtle: a fine difference.

b. Able to make or detect effects of great subtlety or precision; sensitive: has a fine eye for color.

9. Trained to the highest degree of physical efficiency: a fine racehorse.

10. Characterized by refinement or elegance: people in the finest society.

11. Satisfactory; acceptable: Handing in your paper on Monday is fine.

12. Being in a state of satisfactory health; quite well: "How are you?" "I'm fine."

13. Used as an intensive: a fine mess.

adv.

1. Finely.

2. Informal Very well: doing fine.

tr. & intr.v. fined, fin·ing, fines

To make or become finer, purer, or cleaner.

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[Middle English fin, from Old French, from Latin fīnis, end, supreme degree.]

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fine′ness n.

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fine ²

 (fīn)

n.

1. A sum of money required to be paid especially to the government as a penalty for an offense.

2. Obsolete An end; a termination.

tr.v. fined, fin·ing, fines

To require the payment of a fine from; impose a fine on.

Idiom:

in fine

1. In conclusion; finally.

2. In summation; in brief.

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[Middle English fin, from Old French, settlement, compensation, from Medieval Latin fīnis, from Latin, end.]

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fin′a·ble, fine′a·ble adj.

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fi·ne ³

 (fē′nā)

n. Music

The end.

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[Italian, from Latin fīnis, end.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

fining

(ˈfaɪnɪŋ)

n

1. (Ceramics) the process of removing undissolved gas bubbles from molten glass

2. (Brewing) the process of clarifying liquors by the addition of a coagulant

3. (Brewing) (plural) a substance, such as isinglass, added to wine, beer, etc, to clarify it

[C17: from fine¹ (in the sense: to clarify, refine)]

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014