ENGLISH
REFERENCE

refining

n. uncountable
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ɹəˈfaɪnɪŋ// UK //ɹɪfˈaɪnɪŋ// re·fin·ing

n. the process of making something pure or better by removing things you do not want. You use this when talking about materials like oil or sugar, or even when improving a plan.

n. the process of removing impurities or unwanted elements from a substance; the improvement or clarification of a system, theory, or method. Often refers to industrial processing or abstract conceptual polishing.


SIMPLE

The refining of sugar takes several steps.

CONTEXTUAL

The company invested millions in new technology for refining crude oil into high-quality gasoline.

COMPLEX

Through constant refining of their data collection methods, the researchers were able to eliminate the statistical noise that had previously obscured their primary findings.

Synonyms
Usage

Often used as a gerund to describe industrial processes or the act of polishing a skill.

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