Word of the Day ·
finely
adverb
What it means
- So as to produce a fine texture; into small, thin, or delicate pieces.
Fledglings can only be fed finely chopped meat.
- In a fine, handsome or attractive way; very well.
Looking back, Yewdale Crag stands finely over the waterhead; Brantwood is opposite.
2018, William Gershom Collingwood, The Book of Coniston, page 82 more examples
This girl could not be above eighteen: her face regular and sweet-featur'd, her shape exquisite; nor could I help envying her two ripe enchanting breasts, finely plump'd out in flesh
Fanny Hill
1749, [John Cleland], “(Please specify the letter or volume)”, in Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure [Fanny Hill], London: […] [Thomas Parker] for G. Fenton [i.e., Fenton and Ralph Griffiths] […], →OCLCConversation with simple, respectful George Larch and that quite charming fellow Vallett had convinced him that everything was going to turn out finely.
1934, Ernest Bramah [pseudonym; Ernest Brammah Smith], The Bravo of London - archaicThoroughly; wholly.
We quarrelled finely, and Mrs. Clements, not liking to see it, I suppose, offered to take Anne away to live in London with her. […] I was finely terrified at the possible consequences.
1860, Wilkie Collins, The Woman in White
In a sentence
Fledglings can only be fed finely chopped meat.
Where it comes from
- Middle Englishfinely
- Englishfinely
From Middle English finely, fynely, fynly, fineliche, finliche, fynliche, equivalent to fine + -ly.
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