finesse

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noun fi·nesse \fə-ˈnes\

Definition of finesse

1 : refinement or delicacy of workmanship, structure, or texture trinkets of an extreme finesse — Arnold Rosin
2 : skillful handling of a situation : adroit maneuvering She handled the interviewer's questions with finesse.
3 : the withholding of one's highest card or trump in the hope that a lower card will take the trick because the only opposing higher card is in the hand of an opponent who has already played

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Examples of finesse in a Sentence

She handled the interview questions with finesse.
maneuvered his opponent into checkmate with his customary finesse

Origin and Etymology of finesse

Middle English, from Middle French, from fin

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First Known Use: 15th century

See Words from the same year

finesse

verb fi·nesse

Definition of finesse

finessed

;

finessing

intransitive verb
: to make a finesse in playing cards
transitive verb
1 : to play (a card) in a finesse
2a : to bring about, direct, or manage by adroit maneuvering finesse his way through tight places — Marquis Jamesb : evade, skirt finesse the hard issues

See finesse defined for English-language learners

Examples of finesse in a Sentence

He managed to finesse a deal through bargaining.
She is just trying to finesse the issue.

Finesse Started Out As a Noun

Finesse was a noun for more than 200 years before it became a verb. In the early 16th century the noun finesse was used to refer to refinement or delicacy of workmanship, structure, or texture. Soon thereafter it developed the "skillful handling of a situation" meaning most common today. The first use of the verb finesse, however, was not as a corollary of one of these meanings. Instead, its meaning had to do with cards: if you finesse in a game like bridge or whist, you withhold your highest card or trump in the hope that a lower card will take the trick because the only opposing higher card is in the hand of an opponent who has already played. The other verb meanings of finesse developed within a few decades of this one.