refine
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re·fine
(rĭ-fīn′)v. re·fined, re·fin·ing, re·fines
v.tr.
1. To reduce to a pure state; purify.
2. To remove by purifying.
3. To free from coarse, unsuitable, or immoral characteristics: refined his manners; refined her speaking style.
v.intr.
1. To become free of impurities.
2. To acquire polish or elegance.
3. To use precise distinctions and subtlety in thought or speech.
re·fin′er n.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
refine
(rɪˈfaɪn)vb
1. to make or become free from impurities, sediment, or other foreign matter; purify
2. (Chemistry) (tr) to separate (a mixture) into pure constituents, as in an oil refinery
3. to make or become free from coarse characteristics; make or become elegant or polished
4. (often foll by: out) to remove (something impure or extraneous)
5. (intr; often foll by on or upon) to enlarge or improve (upon) by making subtle or fine distinctions
6. (tr) to make (language) more subtle or polished
[C16: from re- + fine1]
reˈfinable adj
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
re•fine
(rɪˈfaɪn)v. -fined, -fin•ing. v.t.
1. to bring to a pure state; free or separate from impurities or other extraneous substances.
2. to purify from what is coarse or debasing; make elegant or cultured.
3. to bring to a finer state or form by purifying or polishing.
4. to make more fine, subtle, or precise.
v.i. 5. to become pure.
6. to become more elegant or polished.
7. to make fine distinctions in thought or language.
8. refine on or upon, to improve by inserting finer distinctions, superior elements, etc.
[1575–85]
re•fin′a•ble, adj.
re•fin′er, n.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
refine
Past participle: refined
Gerund: refining
| Imperative |
|---|
| refine |
| refine |
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
| Verb | 1. | refine - improve or perfect by pruning or polishing; "refine one's style of writing" ameliorate, improve, meliorate, amend, better - to make better; "The editor improved the manuscript with his changes" overrefine, over-refine - refine too much or with excess of subtlety; "He is overrefining this matter" |
| 2. | refine - make more complex, intricate, or richer; "refine a design or pattern" alter, change, modify - cause to change; make different; cause a transformation; "The advent of the automobile may have altered the growth pattern of the city"; "The discussion has changed my thinking about the issue" involve - make complex or intricate or complicated; "The situation was rather involved" develop - elaborate by the unfolding of a musical idea and by the working out of the rhythmic and harmonic changes in the theme; "develop the melody and change the key" sophisticate - make more complex or refined; "a sophisticated design" | |
| 3. | refine - treat or prepare so as to put in a usable condition; "refine paper stock"; "refine pig iron"; "refine oil" | |
| 4. | refine - reduce to a fine, unmixed, or pure state; separate from extraneous matter or cleanse from impurities; "refine sugar" | |
| 5. | refine - attenuate or reduce in vigor, strength, or validity by polishing or purifying; "many valuable nutrients are refined out of the foods in our modern diet" attenuate - become weaker, in strength, value, or magnitude | |
| 6. | refine - make more precise or increase the discriminatory powers of; "refine a method of analysis"; "refine the constant in the equation" |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
refine
verb
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
refine
verbThe American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
يَصْقُل، يُحَسِّنيُنَقِّي، يُكَرِّر
čistitvylepšit
forbedreraffinere
finomít
bæta, slípa, fágahreinsa
galantiškasperdirbimo gamyklarafinavimo gamyklarafinuotasrafinuoti
attīrītuzlabot
rafinovať
arıtmakgeliştirmekıslah etmekrafine etmek
refine
[rɪˈfaɪn]A. VT
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
refine
vt
metal, oil, sugar → raffinieren
language, manners, taste(s) → verfeinern, kultivieren
techniques, methods → verfeinern, verbessern
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
refine
[rɪˈfaɪn] vt (sugar, oil, tastes, style) → raffinare; (design, technique, machine) → perfezionarerefine on refine upon vi + prep → perfezionare, migliorare
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
refine
(rəˈfain) verb1. to make (a substance eg sugar) pure by taking out dirt, waste substances etc. Oil is refined before it is used.
2. to improve. We have refined our techniques considerably since the work began.
reˈfined adjective (negative unrefined).
1. very polite; well-mannered; elegant.
2. having been refined. refined sugar.
reˈfinement noun1. good manners, good taste, polite speech etc.
2. (an) improvement. to make refinements.
reˈfinery – plural reˈfineries – noun a place where sugar or oil etc is refined. an oil refinery.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.
re·fine
v. refinar, purificar.
English-Spanish Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012