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british

finely

[ fahyn-lee ]

/ ˈfaɪn li /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR finely ON THESAURUS.COM

adverb

in a fine manner; excellently; elegantly; delicately; minutely; nicely; subtly.

in fine particles or pieces: finely chopped onions.

Origin of finely

First recorded in 1275–1325, finely is from the Middle English word fineliche. See fine¹, -ly

Words nearby finely

fine-grain, fine-grained, fine-tooth comb, fine-tune, fineable, finely, fineness, fineness ratio, finer, finery, fines herbes

Example sentences from the Web for finely

It was as finely balanced and perfectly toned as Rivers' funeral.

Melissa Rivers: Life After Joan—A Funny, Moving Celebration on a Special 'Fashion Police' |Tim Teeman |September 20, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
The debate about the future, the very existence of the royal family, has always been finely balanced.

Prince George’s First Year Bodes Well for the Survival of the Royals |Tom Sykes |July 22, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Qualms about violence versus sex aside, the book is a finely spun tale.

A Fantasy Titan Invades the YA Kingdom |William O’Connor |July 18, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
It requires a finely honed sense of timing and a griddle that has been seasoned just right.

The Real Cheeseburger Paradise |Jane & Michael Stern |June 22, 2014 |DAILY BEAST

In a room off the living room, saddles lounge everywhere you look, finely tooled leather saddles, things of great weight and heft.

The Death of a Rodeo Cowboy |Peter Richmond |May 11, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
The buildings are finely constructed of hammered stone, laid without cement, and are 30 feet in height.

The Mayas, the Sources of Their History / Dr. Le Plongeon in Yucatan, His Account of Discoveries |Stephen Salisbury, Jr.
I've got—for my own sake—to behave to that man as finely as he behaved to me.

The Divine Fire |May Sinclair
The shock to her finely strung nature when she was taken from Rome had, indeed, produced a physical reaction.

A Friend of Caesar |William Stearns Davis
Though in stature somewhat below the middle size, he was vigorously and finely formed.

Cassell's History of England, Vol. I (of 9) |Anonymous
He gave one the impression of just protecting himself from boredom by habitual loyalty and a finely tempered sense of duty.

Rustic Sounds |Francis Darwin

British Dictionary definitions for finely

finely

/ (ˈfaɪnlɪ) /

adverb

into small pieces; minutely

precisely or subtly

splendidly or delicately