finely
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
into very small or thin pieces.
to a degree of minute physical texture or small particle size.
Simple“You should chop the garlic finely so it blends into the sauce.”
In context“The recipe requires the herbs to be finely minced to ensure their oils are evenly distributed throughout the marinade.”
UsageCommonly used with verbs like 'chop', 'grind', 'dice', or 'shred'.
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
done with great care, skill, or detail.
with a high degree of precision, delicacy, or subtle discrimination.
Simple“The watch has a finely tuned engine that keeps perfect time.”
In context“The diplomat navigated the finely balanced political situation with remarkable tact, avoiding any potential for international misunderstanding.”
UsageOften modifies adjectives or past participles like 'tuned', 'balanced', or 'crafted'.
SynonymsAntonymsclumsilypoorly - 03 C1 Advanced
in a way that looks expensive, beautiful, or high-quality.
in an elegant, handsome, or aesthetically superior manner.
Simple“The guests arrived at the palace finely dressed in silk and jewels.”
In context“The manor house was finely furnished with eighteenth-century antiques, reflecting the family's long history of wealth and refined taste.”
SynonymsAntonymsshabbily
From Middle English finely, fynely, fynly, fineliche, finliche, fynliche, equivalent to fine + -ly.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.