Word of the Day ·

F4I1N1E1L1Y4

finely

/ˈfaɪnli/

adverb

What it means

  1. So as to produce a fine texture; into small, thin, or delicate pieces.

    Fledglings can only be fed finely chopped meat.

  2. 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 8
    2 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] […], →OCLC

    Conversation 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
  3. 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

  1. Middle Englishfinely
  2. Englishfinely

From Middle English finely, fynely, fynly, fineliche, finliche, fynliche, equivalent to fine + -ly.

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