Fine arts

fine fine (f[imac]n), a. [Compar. {finer} (f[imac]n"[~e]r); superl. {finest}.] [F. fin, LL. finus fine, pure, fr. L. finire to finish; cf. finitus, p. p., finished, completed (hence the sense accomplished, perfect.) See {Finish}, and cf. {Finite}.] 1. Finished; brought to perfection; refined; hence, free from impurity; excellent; superior; elegant; worthy of admiration; accomplished; beautiful. [1913 Webster]

The gain thereof [is better] than fine gold. --Prov. iii. 14. [1913 Webster]

A cup of wine that's brisk and fine. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

Not only the finest gentleman of his time, but one of the finest scholars. --Felton. [1913 Webster]

To soothe the sick bed of so fine a being [Keats]. --Leigh Hunt. [1913 Webster]

2. Aiming at show or effect; loaded with ornament; overdressed or overdecorated; showy. [1913 Webster]

He gratified them with occasional . . . fine writing. --M. Arnold. [1913 Webster]

3. Nice; delicate; subtle; exquisite; artful; skillful; dexterous. [1913 Webster]

The spider's touch, how exquisitely fine! --Pope. [1913 Webster]

The nicest and most delicate touches of satire consist in fine raillery. --Dryden. [1913 Webster]

He has as fine a hand at picking a pocket as a woman. --T. Gray. [1913 Webster]

4. Not coarse, gross, or heavy; as: (a) Not gross; subtile; thin; tenous. [1913 Webster]

The eye standeth in the finer medium and the object in the grosser. --Bacon. (b) Not coarse; comminuted; in small particles; as, fine sand or flour. (c) Not thick or heavy; slender; filmy; as, a fine thread. (d) Thin; attenuate; keen; as, a fine edge. (e) Made of fine materials; light; delicate; as, fine linen or silk. [1913 Webster]

5. Having (such) a proportion of pure metal in its composition; as, coins nine tenths fine. [1913 Webster]

6. (Used ironically.) [1913 Webster]

Ye have made a fine hand, fellows. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

Note: Fine is often compounded with participles and adjectives, modifying them adverbially; a, fine-drawn, fine-featured, fine-grained, fine-spoken, fine-spun, etc. [1913 Webster]

{Fine arch} (Glass Making), the smaller fritting furnace of a glasshouse. --Knight.

{Fine arts}. See the Note under {Art}.

{Fine cut}, fine cut tobacco; a kind of chewing tobacco cut up into shreds.

{Fine goods}, woven fabrics of fine texture and quality. --McElrath.

{Fine stuff}, lime, or a mixture of lime, plaster, etc., used as material for the finishing coat in plastering.

{To sail fine} (Naut.), to sail as close to the wind as possible.

Syn: {Fine}, {Beautiful}.

Usage: When used as a word of praise, fine (being opposed to coarse) denotes no ``ordinary thing of its kind.'' It is not as strong as beautiful, in reference to the single attribute implied in the latter term; but when we speak of a fine woman, we include a greater variety of particulars, viz., all the qualities which become a woman, -- breeding, sentiment, tact, etc. The term is equally comprehensive when we speak of a fine garden, landscape, horse, poem, etc.; and, though applied to a great variety of objects, the word has still a very definite sense, denoting a high degree of characteristic excellence. [1913 Webster]