[1] : The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

fine \fine\ fimacn, a. compar. finer fimacn"~er;
   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
see also:
finer finest finish finite fine arch fine arts 
art fine cut fine goods fine stuff to sail fine 
fine beautiful 

Fine >> F Words
Fine, definition of term: Fine
fine_pag1.html

Fine Art >> F Words
Fine Art, definition of term: Fine Art
fine+art_pag1.html

Fine Tune >> F Words
Fine Tune, definition of term: Fine Tune
fine+tune_pag1.html

Fine Arts >> F Words
Fine Arts, definition of term: Fine Arts
fine+arts_pag1.html

Durable Goods >> D Words
Durable Goods, definition of term: Durable Goods
durable+goods_pag1.html

Consumer Goods >> C Words
Consumer Goods, definition of term: Consumer Goods
consumer+goods_pag1.html

Consumers Goods >> C Words
Consumers Goods, definition of term: Consumers Goods
consumers+goods_pag1.html

Baked Goods >> B Words
Baked Goods, definition of term: Baked Goods
baked+goods_pag1.html