fine

1 of 6

adjective

finer; finest
1
a
: all right
that's fine with me
b
: well or healthy : not sick or injured
feel fine
2
: superior in kind, quality, or appearance : excellent
a fine job
a fine day
fine wines
3
a(1)
: very thin in gauge or texture
fine thread
(2)
: not coarse
fine sand
(3)
: very small
fine print
(4)
: keen
a knife with a fine edge
(5)
: very precise or accurate
a fine adjustment
trying to be too fine with his pitches
b
: physically trained or hardened close to the limit of efficiency
used of an athlete or animal
4
: delicate, subtle, or sensitive in quality, perception, or discrimination
a fine distinction
5
a
: ornate sense 1
fine writing
b
: marked by or affecting elegance or refinement
fine manners
6
used as an intensive
the leader, in a fine frenzy, beheaded one of his wivesBrian Crozier
7
a
: free from impurity
b
of a metal : having a stated proportion of pure metal in the composition expressed in parts per thousand
a gold coin .9166 fine
fineness noun

fine

2 of 6

adverb

1
: finely: such as
a
: very well
b
2
: with a very narrow margin of time or space
she had not intended to cut her escape so fineMelinda Beck et al.

fine

3 of 6

noun (1)

1
a
: a sum imposed as punishment for an offense
The motorist had to pay a fine for speeding.
b
: a forfeiture or penalty paid to an injured party in a civil action
2
: a compromise of a fictitious suit used as a form of conveyance of lands
3
obsolete : end, conclusion

fine

4 of 6

verb (1)

fined; fining

transitive verb

: to impose a fine on : punish by a fine

fine

5 of 6

verb (2)

fined; fining

transitive verb

1
: purify, clarify
fine and filter wine
2
: to make finer in quality or size

intransitive verb

1
: to become pure or clear
the ale will fine
2
: to become smaller in lines or proportions

fine

6 of 6

noun (2)

fi·​ne ˈfē-(ˌ)nā How to pronounce fine (audio)
: end
used as a direction in music to mark the closing point after a repeat
Phrases
in fine
: in short

Examples of fine in a Sentence

Noun (1) a $50 fine for speeding “Is there anything wrong?” “No, everything's fine.” The house looks fine to me. I think that's a fine idea. You did a fine job. The house is in fine shape. This is a fine example of what can go wrong when one person is given too much power. He's a fine young man. “Did you hurt yourself?” “No, I'm fine.” Verb (1) the police will fine you for driving with one headlight out She did fine on the test. My mother is doing fine, thank you. This'll do fine for now. She talks and walks so fine, just like a great lady. Verb (2) the use of egg shells to fine wine
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
If Bedard hits and becomes the superstar he was drafted to be, the Blackhawks will be fine. Scott Powers, The Athletic, 6 Dec. 2024 Arenado can still help a team in need of a fine defensive third baseman, with some pop remaining in his bat. Bernie Pleskoff, Forbes, 4 Dec. 2024
Adverb
Many peer supporters do just fine psychologically, or even grow and find community, but the practice introduces the risk of burnout and emotional exhaustion, studies suggest. Jamie Ducharme, TIME, 22 Nov. 2024 While the pots and pans included in the Factory Seconds sale work just fine, they're sold at a significant discount. Kasey Caminiti, USA TODAY, 9 Nov. 2024
Verb
He was also ordered to pay $120,000 in restitution and fined $25,000 for making false police reports. Megan Thomas, CNN, 22 Nov. 2024 He was sentenced to 25 years in prison and fined $25,100, though his sentence was reduced to eight years in prison, and his fine to $15,100. Rachel Desantis, People.com, 21 Nov. 2024
Noun
The committee also sought to institute stiffer fines for repeat offenders before dropping the request in hopes of getting more support for the legislation. Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 28 Nov. 2024 The company settled out of court in 2021, paying 10 million euros in fines. Afp, Fortune Europe, 28 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for fine 

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English fin, fyne "of choice quality, superior, admirable, free from impurity, delicate," borrowed from Anglo-French fin, going back to Gallo-Romance *fīnus "extreme, ultimate," adjective derivative of Latin fīnis "boundary, limit, ending" — more at final entry 1

Adverb

Middle English fyne, derivative of fin, fyne fine entry 1

Noun (1)

Middle English fin, fyne "end, conclusion, final legal settlement relating to alienation of property, fee paid to complete a legal conveyance, money paid in lieu of judicial punishment," borrowed from Anglo-French fin, going back to Latin fīnis "boundary, limit, terminal point, ending" (Medieval Latin also, "legal settlement, agreement involving payment, payment in lieu of punishment") — more at final entry 1

Verb (1)

in part derivative of fine entry 3, in part continuing Middle English finen "to pay a fine," borrowed from Anglo-French finer "to pay as a fine, make a payment," verbal derivative of fin fine entry 3

Verb (2)

Middle English finen, derivative of fin, fyne fine entry 1

Noun (2)

borrowed from Italian, going back to Latin fīnis "boundary, limit, ending" — more at final entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 7a

Adverb

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (1)

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Verb (1)

circa 1513, in the meaning defined above

Verb (2)

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun (2)

1740, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of fine was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near fine

Cite this Entry

“Fine.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fine. Accessed 9 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

fine

1 of 5 noun
: a sum of money to be paid as a punishment

fine

2 of 5 verb
fined; fining
: to punish by a fine

fine

3 of 5 adjective
finer; finest
1
: free from impurity
2
a
: not thick, coarse, or dull
fine thread
fine sand
b
: small entry 1 sense 1
fine print
c
: done with extreme care and accuracy
fine measurement
3
: subtle sense 1b
a fine distinction
4
: excellent in quality or appearance
a fine spring day
5
: to one's liking : agreeable
that's fine with me
6
: very well
feel fine
finely adverb
fineness noun

fine

4 of 5 adverb
1
: in a fine manner
2
: very well
did fine on the test
I liked it fine

fine

5 of 5 noun
fi·​ne
ˈfē-(ˌ)nā
: end entry 1 sense 1b
used as a direction in music to mark the closing point after a repeat
Etymology

Noun

from earlier fine "a final agreement to settle a lawsuit," from Middle English fine "end, conclusion," from early French fin (same meaning), from Latin finis "end, limit" — related to final

Adjective

Middle English fin "pure, brought to perfection," from early French fin (same meaning), from Latin finis (noun) "end, limit" as in finis honorum "the height of honor, the highest honor"

Noun

Italian, from Latin finis "end, limit"

Medical Definition

fine

adjective
finer; finest
of bodily tremors
: of slight excursion

Legal Definition

fine

1 of 2 noun
1
: a sum imposed as punishment for an offense compare restitution
2
: a forfeiture or penalty paid to an injured party in a civil action

fine

2 of 2 transitive verb
fined; fining
: to impose a fine on : punish by fine
Etymology

Noun

Anglo-French fin, fine & Medieval Latin finis end, boundary, agreement, payment for release or privilege, monetary penalty, from Latin finis end, boundary

More from Merriam-Webster on fine

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