finest

[ fahy-nist ]

/ ˈfaɪ nɪst /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR finest ON THESAURUS.COM

noun (used with a plural verb) Informal.

the police: New York City's finest.

Nearby words

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

Origin of finest

An Americanism dating back to 1925–30

Definition for finest (2 of 2)

fine

[ fahyn ]

/ faɪn /

adjective, fin·er, fin·est.

of superior or best quality; of high or highest grade: fine wine.

choice, excellent, or admirable: a fine painting.

consisting of minute particles: fine sand; a fine purée.

very thin or slender: fine thread.

keen or sharp, as a tool: Is the knife fine enough to carve well?

delicate in texture; filmy: fine cotton fabric.

delicately fashioned: fine tracery.

highly skilled or accomplished: a fine musician.

trained to the maximum degree, as an athlete.

characterized by or affecting refinement or elegance: a fine lady.

polished or refined: fine manners.

affectedly ornate or elegant: A style so fine repels the average reader.

delicate or subtle: a fine distinction.

bright and clear: a fine day; fine skin.

healthy; well: In spite of his recent illness, he looks fine.

showy or smart; elegant in appearance: a bird of fine plumage.

good-looking or handsome: a fine young man.

(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.

adverb

Informal. in an excellent manner; very well: He did fine on the exams. She sings fine.

very small: She writes so fine I can hardly read it.

Billiards, Pool. in such a way that the driven ball barely touches the object ball in passing.

Nautical. as close as possible to the wind: sailing fine.

verb (used without object), fined, fin·ing.

to become fine or finer, as by refining.

to become less, as in size or proportions; reduce; diminish (often followed by down): The plumpness fines down with exercise.

verb (used with object), fined, fin·ing.

to make fine or finer, especially by refining or pulverizing.

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.

to clarify (wines or spirits) by filtration.

noun

fines,

Mining. crushed ore sufficiently fine to pass through a given screen.Compare short(def 29e).
Agriculture. the fine bits of corn kernel knocked off during handling of the grain.

Origin of fine

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

SYNONYMS FOR fine

1 finished, consummate, perfect; select.

3 powdered, pulverized.

5 acute.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR fine ON THESAURUS.COM

ANTONYMS FOR fine

1 inferior.

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Synonym study

1. 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.

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

Examples from the Web for finest

It was the finest moment of my life in 1986 when I married him.
Fergie Dives Into Prince Andrew’s Sex Scandal|Tom Sykes|January 5, 2015|DAILY BEAST
The Speyside distillery is famous for taking only the finest cut of spirit for its whisky.
The Restaurant, Flask, And Photography Worthy of The Macallan Whisky||December 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Ergo if the finest minds at Breitbart can't find him, Dunham's story must be fabricated.
The Right's Rape Trolls vs. Lena Dunham|Emily Shire|December 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Despite the actions of a flawed few, it is arguably the finest professional police force in the world.
The Wildly Peaceful, Human, Almost Boring, Ultimately Great New York City Protests for Eric Garner|Mike Barnicle|December 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST

And in the far south, almost in view of North Africa, the tiny port of Sanlucar de Barrameda produces the finest of fino sherries.
Beer Countries vs. Wine Countries|Clive Irving|December 7, 2014|DAILY BEAST
I'd go to the Ritz or the Carlton and order the finest dinner for three that the most experienced chef ever heard of.
The Hosts of the Air|Joseph A. Altsheler
This harmonious piece of furniture was the finest ornament of a house which the garde-voies had made their home.
Six Women and the Invasion|Gabrielle Yerta
One of the finest of these, and an admirably perfect suit, is shown in our illustration (Fig. 28).
Armour in England|J. Starkie Gardner
It is only natural that most of Browning's finest landscapes are Italian.
An Introduction to the Study of Browning|Arthur Symons
The Chinese affirm that the latter is the finest fruit in the whole world.
A Woman's Journey Round the World|Ida Pfeiffer

British Dictionary definitions for finest (1 of 4)

fine

/ (faɪn) /

adjective

excellent or choice in quality; very good of its kinda fine speech

superior in skill, ability, or accomplishmenta fine violinist

(of weather) clear and dry

enjoyable or satisfyinga fine time

(postpositive) informal quite well; in satisfactory healthI feel fine

satisfactory; acceptablethat's fine by me

of delicate composition or careful workmanshipfine crystal

(of precious metals) pure or having a high or specified degree of purityfine silver; gold 98 per cent fine

subtle in perception; discriminatinga fine eye for antique brasses

abstruse or subtlea fine point in argument

very thin or slenderfine hair

very smallfine dust; fine print

(of edges, blades, etc) sharp; keen

ornate, showy, or smart

good-looking; handsomea fine young woman

polished, elegant, or refineda fine gentleman

morally upright and commendablea fine man

cricket (of a fielding position) oblique to and behind the wicketfine leg

(prenominal) informal disappointing or terriblea fine mess

adverb

informal quite well; all rightthat suits me fine

a nonstandard word for finely

billiards snooker (of a stroke on the cue ball) so as to merely brush the object ball

cut it fine to allow little margin of time, space, etc

verb

to make or become finer; refine

(often foll by down or away) to make or become smaller

(tr) to clarify (wine, etc) by adding finings

(tr) billiards snooker to hit (a cue ball) fine

(intr foll by up) Australian and NZ informal (of the weather) to become fine

Word Origin for fine

C13: from Old French fin, from Latin fīnis end, boundary, as in fīnis honōrum the highest degree of honour

British Dictionary definitions for finest (2 of 4)

fine

/ (faɪn) /

noun

a certain amount of money exacted as a penaltya parking fine

a payment made by a tenant at the start of his tenancy to reduce his subsequent rent; premium

feudal law a sum of money paid by a man to his lord, esp for the privilege of transferring his land to another

a method of transferring land in England by bringing a fictitious law suit: abolished 1833

in fine

in short; briefly
in conclusion; finally

verb

(tr) to impose a fine on

Word Origin for fine

C12 (in the sense: conclusion, settlement): from Old French fin; see fine 1

British Dictionary definitions for finest (3 of 4)

fine

/ (ˈfiːneɪ) /

noun music

the point at which a piece is to end, usually after a da capo or dal segno

an ending or finale

Word Origin for fine

Italian, from Latin fīnis end

British Dictionary definitions for finest (4 of 4)

fine

⁴

/ French (fin) /

noun

brandy of ordinary quality

Word Origin for fine

literally: fine

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

Idioms and Phrases with finest

fine

In addition to the idioms beginning with fine

fine and dandy
fine art

also see:

come on in (the water's fine)
cut it fine
in fine feather

finest

noun (used with a plural verb) Informal.

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Nearby words

Origin of finest

Definition for finest (2 of 2)

fine

adjective, fin·er, fin·est.

adverb

verb (used without object), fined, fin·ing.

verb (used with object), fined, fin·ing.

noun

Origin of fine

Synonym study

Examples from the Web for finest

British Dictionary definitions for finest (1 of 4)

fine

adjective

adverb

verb

Word Origin for fine

British Dictionary definitions for finest (2 of 4)

fine

noun

verb

Word Origin for fine

British Dictionary definitions for finest (3 of 4)

fine

noun music

Word Origin for fine

British Dictionary definitions for finest (4 of 4)

fine

noun

Word Origin for fine

Idioms and Phrases with finest

fine

finest

RELATED CONTENT

RELATED WORDS

Nearby words

Origin of finest

Definition for.css-ylq2vz{color:#1a1a1a;} finest (2 of 2)

fine

adjective, fin·er, fin·est.

adverb

verb (used without object), fined, fin·ing.

verb (used with object), fined, fin·ing.

noun

Origin of fine

Synonym study

Examples from the Web for finest

British Dictionary definitions for finest (1 of 4)

fine

adjective

adverb

verb

Word Origin for fine

British Dictionary definitions for finest (2 of 4)

fine

noun

verb

Word Origin for fine

British Dictionary definitions for finest (3 of 4)

fine

noun music

Word Origin for fine

British Dictionary definitions for finest (4 of 4)

fine

noun

Word Origin for fine

Idioms and Phrases with finest

fine

Definition for finest (2 of 2)