finesse

[ fi-ness ]

/ fɪˈnɛss /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR finesse ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

extreme delicacy or subtlety in action, performance, skill, discrimination, taste, etc.

skill in handling a difficult or highly sensitive situation; adroit and artful management: exceptional diplomatic finesse.

a trick, artifice, or stratagem.

Bridge, Whist. an attempt to win a trick with a card while holding a higher card not in sequence with it, in the hope that the card or cards between will not be played.

verb (used without object), fi·nessed, fi·ness·ing.

to use finesse or artifice.

to make a finesse at cards.

verb (used with object), fi·nessed, fi·ness·ing.

to bring about by finesse or artifice.

to avoid; circumvent.

to make a finesse with (a card).

to force the playing of (a card) by a finesse.

Words nearby finesse

fineness ratio, finer, finery, fines herbes, finespun, finesse, finest, finestra, finfish, finfoot, fingal's cave

Origin of finesse

1400–50; late Middle English: degree of excellence or purity < Middle French < Vulgar Latin *fīnitia. See fine¹, -ice

SYNONYMS FOR finesse

1, 2 tact, diplomacy, savoir faire, circumspection, sensitivity, sensibility.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR finesse ON THESAURUS.COM

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for finessing

A right-down good hare Millichip turned out to be; doubling and twisting and finessing, and exasperating the hounds considerably.
Johnny Ludlow, Second Series|Mrs. Henry Wood
After some finessing, the Government showed a determination to go on with both bills.
The History of the Great Irish Famine of 1847 (3rd ed.) (1902)|John O'Rourke
Come, Chief Inspector, this finessing with me is highly improper on your part—highly improper.
The Secret Agent|Joseph Conrad
He threw aside his first intention of finessing Belle into his bedroom on the plea of asking her to help him to pack.
The Sins of the Children|Cosmo Hamilton

That desire was the one real and substantial thing in a somewhat superficial, egotistic, and finessing character.
Stella Fregelius|H. Rider Haggard

British Dictionary definitions for finessing

finesse

/ (fɪˈnɛs) /

noun

elegant skill in style or performance

subtlety and tact in handling difficult situations

bridge whist an attempt to win a trick when opponents hold a high card in the suit led by playing a lower card, hoping the opponent who has already played holds the missing card

a trick, artifice, or strategy

verb

to manage or bring about with finesse

to play (a card) as a finesse

Word Origin for finesse

C15: from Old French, from fin fine, delicate; see fine 1

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012