fine

UK: /ˈfaɪn/ US: /faɪn/ ,(fīn; Mus. fē′nā; Wine fēn)

Inflections of 'fine' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

fines

v 3rd person singular

fining

v pres p

fined

v past

fined

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

fine¹ /faɪn/   adj., fin•er, fin•est, adv. 
adj. 

1. of superior or best quality;
   excellent:
   [often: before a noun] fine wine.
2. made up of tiny particles:
   fine sand.
3. very thin;
   slender:
   fine thread.
4. keen;
   sharp:
   The knife needs a finer edge.
5. delicate in texture or workmanship:
   [often: before a noun] fine silk; fine china.
6. highly skilled;
   accomplished:
   a fine musician.
7. refined or elegant;
   polished:
   fine manners.
8. delicate;
   subtle:
   a fine distinction.
9. healthy;
   well:
   She looks fine.

adv. 

10. Informal Terms excellently;
    very well:
    You did fine on the test.

fine•ly, adv. See -fin-.

fine² /faɪn/   n., v., fined, fin•ing. 
n. [countable]

1. money imposed as a penalty for an offense:
   a parking fine.

v. [~ + object (+ object)]

2. to punish by a fine:
   fined him fifty dollars for littering.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

fine¹  (fīn), adj., fin•er, fin•est, adv., v., fined, fin•ing, n. 
adj. 

1. of superior or best quality;
   of high or highest grade:
   fine wine.
2. choice, excellent, or admirable:
   a fine painting.
3. consisting of minute particles:
   fine sand; a fine purée.
4. very thin or slender:
   fine thread.
5. keen or sharp, as a tool:
   Is the knife fine enough to carve well?
6. delicate in texture;
   filmy:
   fine cotton fabric.
7. delicately fashioned:
   fine tracery.
8. highly skilled or accomplished:
   a fine musician.
9. trained to the maximum degree, as an athlete.
10. characterized by or affecting refinement or elegance:
    a fine lady.
11. polished or refined:
    fine manners.
12. affectedly ornate or elegant:
    A style so fine repels the average reader.
13. delicate or subtle:
    a fine distinction.
14. bright and clear:
    a fine day; fine skin.
15. healthy;
    well:
    In spite of his recent illness, he looks fine.
16. showy or smart;
    elegant in appearance:
    a bird of fine plumage.
17. good-looking or handsome:
    a fine young man.
18. Metallurgy (of a precious metal or its alloy) free from impurities or containing a large amount of pure metal:
    fine gold; Sterling silver is 92.5 percent fine.

adv. 

19. Informal Terms in an excellent manner;
    very well:
    He did fine on the exams. She sings fine.
20. very small:
    She writes so fine I can hardly read it.
21. Games [Billiards, Pool.] in such a way that the driven ball barely touches the object ball in passing.
22. Nautical, Naval Terms as close as possible to the wind:
    sailing fine.
23. Idioms cut fine, to calculate precisely, esp. without allowing for possible error or accident:
    To finish in ten minutes is to cut it too fine.

v.i. 

24. to become fine or finer, as by refining.
25. to become less, as in size or proportions;
    reduce;
    diminish (often fol. by down):
    The plumpness fines down with exercise.

v.t. 

26. to make fine or finer, esp. by refining or pulverizing.
27. to reduce the size or proportions of (often used with down or away):
    to fine down the heavy features; to fine away superfluous matter in a design.
28. to clarify (wines or spirits) by filtration.

n. 

29. Agriculture fines:
    • [Mining.] crushed ore sufficiently fine to pass through a given screen. Cf. short (def. 37a).
    • Agriculture the fine bits of corn kernel knocked off during handling of the grain.

• Latin fīnis end, utmost limit, highest point
• Anglo-French, Old French
• Middle English fin 1250–1300

Synonyms

• 1. finished, consummate, perfect; select.
  Fine, choice, elegant, exquisite are terms of praise with reference to quality.
  Fine is a general term:
  a fine horse, person, book.
  Choice implies a discriminating selection of the object in question:
  a choice piece of steak.
  Elegant suggests a refined and graceful superiority that is generally associated with luxury and a cultivated taste:
  elegant furnishings.
  Exquisite suggests an admirable delicacy, finish, or perfection:
  an exquisite piece of lace.
• 3. powdered, pulverized.
• 5. acute.

Antonyms

• 1. inferior.

fine²  (fīn), n., v., fined, fin•ing. 
n. 

1. a sum of money imposed as a penalty for an offense or dereliction:
   a parking fine.
2. Law a fee paid by a feudal tenant to the landlord, as on the renewal of tenure.
3. Law [Eng. Law.] (formerly) a conveyance of land through decree of a court, based upon a simulated lawsuit.
4. [Archaic.] a penalty of any kind.
5. Idioms in fine:
   • in short;
     briefly.
   • in conclusion;
     finally:
     It was, in fine, a fitting end to the story.

v.t. 

6. to subject to a fine or pecuniary penalty;
   punish by a fine:
   The judge fined him and released him on parole.

• Latin fīnis end, Medieval Latin: settlement, payment
• Anglo-French, Old French
• Middle English fin 1150–1200

fi•ne³  (fē′nā), n. [Music.]

1. Music and Dance the end of a repeated section, whether da capo or dal segno.
2. Music and Dance the end of a composition that comprises several movements.

• Latin fīnis end
• Italian
• 1790–1800

fine⁴  (fēn), n. 

1. Wine ordinary French brandy, usually with no indication of the maker's name or location.

• short for French fine (champagne) de la maison bar brandy. Cf. Fine Champagne 1920–25

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

fine / faɪn/ adjective

1. excellent or choice in quality; very good of its kind: a fine speech
2. superior in skill, ability, or accomplishment: a fine violinist
3. (of weather) clear and dry
4. enjoyable or satisfying: a fine time
5. (postpositive) quite well; in satisfactory health: I feel fine
6. satisfactory; acceptable: that's fine by me
7. of delicate composition or careful workmanship: fine crystal
8. (of precious metals) pure or having a high or specified degree of purity: fine silver, gold 98 per cent fine
9. subtle in perception; discriminating: a fine eye for antique brasses
10. abstruse or subtle: a fine point in argument
11. very thin or slender: fine hair
12. very small: fine dust, fine print
13. (of edges, blades, etc) sharp; keen
14. ornate, showy, or smart
15. good-looking; handsome: a fine young woman
16. polished, elegant, or refined: a fine gentleman
17. morally upright and commendable: a fine man
18. (of a fielding position) oblique to and behind the wicket: fine leg
19. (prenominal) disappointing or terrible: a fine mess

adverb

1. quite well; all right: that suits me fine
2. a nonstandard word for finely
3. (of a stroke on the cue ball) so as to merely brush the object ball
4. cut it fine ⇒ to allow little margin of time, space, etc

verb

1. to make or become finer; refine
2. often followed by down or away: to make or become smaller
3. (transitive) to clarify (wine, etc) by adding finings
4. (transitive) to hit (a cue ball) fine
5. (intransitive) followed by up: (of the weather) to become fine

Etymology: 13th Century: from Old French fin, from Latin fīnis end, boundary, as in fīnis honōrum the highest degree of honour

fine / faɪn/ noun

1. a certain amount of money exacted as a penalty: a parking fine
2. a payment made by a tenant at the start of his or her tenancy to reduce the subsequent rent; premium
3. a sum of money paid by a man to his lord, esp for the privilege of transferring his land to another
4. a method of transferring land in England by bringing a fictitious law suit: abolished 1833
5. in fine ⇒ in short; briefly
6. in conclusion; finally

verb

1. (transitive) to impose a fine on

Etymology: 12th Century (in the sense: conclusion, settlement): from Old French fin; see fine¹

fine / ˈfiːneɪ/ noun

1. the point at which a piece is to end, usually after a da capo or dal segno
2. an ending or finale

Etymology: Italian, from Latin fīnis end

fine / fin/ noun

1. brandy of ordinary quality

Etymology: literally: fine