Webster's English Dictionary

Enter the word to look up:

fine

1. fine \'fi-n\ n [ME, fr. OF fin, fr. L finis boundary, end] obs  1: END, 
   CONCLUSION  2: a compromise of a fictitious suit used as a form of 
   conveyance of lands  3a: a sum imposed as punishment for an offense  3b: a 
   forfeiture or penalty paid to an injured party in a civil action  : in 
   short  - in fine 
2. fine vt : to set a fine on by judgment of a court 
3. fine \'fi-n-n*s\ aj [ME fin, fr. OF, fr. L finis, n., end, limit] 1a: 
   free from impurity  of a metal  1b: having a stated proportion of pure 
   metal in the composition  2a1: very thin in gauge or texture  2a2: not 
   coarse {~ sand}  2b: physically trained or hardened close to the limit of 
   efficiency  3: subtle or sensitive in preception or discrimination {a ~ 
   instru ment} {a ~ distinction} 4: superior in quality, conception, or 
   appearance  5: marked by or affecting elegance or refinement  - fine.ness n
4. fine av : FINELY 
5. fine vt 1: PURIFY, CLARIFY {~ and filter wine}  2: to make finer in 
   quality or size  1: to become pure or clear {the ale will ~}  2: to become 
   smaller in lines or proportions : DIMINISH 
6. fi.ne \'fe--(.)na-\ n [It, fr. L finis end] : END - used as a direction 
   in music to mark the closing point aft er a repeat