This is the artificialest piece of finesse to
persuade men into slavery. --Milton.
[1913 Webster]
2. (Whist Playing) The act of finessing. See {Finesse}, v. i., 2. [1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.
finesse — [ finɛs ] n. f. • 1330; de 2. fin I ♦ Qualité de ce qui est fin (2.; II). A ♦ UNE, LES FINESSES. 1 ♦ Vieilli Plan ou action marquant la ruse. ⇒ artifice, astuce, ruse, stratagème. « La plus subtile de toutes les finesses est de savoir bien… … Encyclopédie Universelle
finesse — Finesse. s. f. Qualité de ce qui est fin, delié. Vous ne considerez pas la finesse de cette toile, de cette estoffe. Il se dit aussi des choses d esprit & signifie Delicatesse d esprit. Cela est escrit avec finesse. cela est tourné avec finesse.… … Dictionnaire de l'Académie française
finesse — Finesse, Ars, Artificium, Calliditas, Dolus, Fallacia, Stropha, Techna, Astutia, Versutia, Commentum. Finesse ou ruse, Ars strategematica. B. Finesses ou ruses de procez, Doli forenses fabrefacti. B. Bonne finesse, Astutior fallacia, Bonus dolus … Thresor de la langue françoyse
Finesse — Sf Kunstgriff, Feinheit erw. stil. (17. Jh.) Entlehnung. Entlehnt aus frz. finesse, einem Abstraktum zu frz. fin fein, durchtrieben , aus spl. fīnus äußerstes, bestes , aus l. fīnis m./f. Grenze, Ende . Ebenso nndl. finesse, ne. finesse, nschw … Etymologisches Wörterbuch der deutschen sprache
finesse — [fə nes′] n. [Fr < OFr fin, FINE1] 1. adroitness and delicacy of performance 2. the ability to handle delicate and difficult situations skillfully and diplomatically 3. cunning; skill; artfulness; craft 4. Bridge an attempt to take a trick… … English World dictionary
finesse — (n.) 1520s, from M.Fr. finesse fineness, subtlety, from O.Fr. fin subtle, delicate (see FINE (Cf. fine) (adj.)). The verb is first attested 1746, originally as a term in whist. Related: Finessed; finessing … Etymology dictionary
finesse — [n] know how, maneuver acumen, adeptness, adroitness, artfulness, artifice, big stick*, bluff, cleverness, competence, con, craft, craftiness, cunning, delicacy, diplomacy, discernment, discretion, feint, gimmick, grift, guile, polish, quickness … New thesaurus
finesse — ► NOUN 1) refinement and delicacy. 2) subtle skill in handling or manipulating people or situations. 3) (in bridge and whist) an attempt to win a trick with a card that is not a certain winner. ► VERB 1) do in a subtle and delicate manner. 2)… … English terms dictionary
Finesse — Fi*nesse , v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Finessed}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Finessing}.] 1. To use artifice or stratagem. Goldsmith. [1913 Webster] 2. (Whist Playing) To attempt, when second or third player, to make a lower card answer the purpose of a higher,… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Finesse — (fr.), Feinheit, Schlauheit, Verschmitztheit, seine Wendung in der Rede, Kunstgriff … Pierer's Universal-Lexikon
