Library / English Dictionary

REFINE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Make more complex, intricate, or richer

Example:

refine a design or pattern

Synonyms:

complicate; elaborate; rarify; refine

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "refine" is one way to...):

alter; change; modify (cause to change; make different; cause a transformation)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "refine"):

involve (make complex or intricate or complicated)

develop (elaborate by the unfolding of a musical idea and by the working out of the rhythmic and harmonic changes in the theme)

sophisticate (make more complex or refined)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Sense 2

Meaning:

Make more precise or increase the discriminatory powers of

Example:

refine the constant in the equation

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "refine" is one way to...):

alter; change; modify (cause to change; make different; cause a transformation)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Derivation:

refinement (a subtle difference in meaning or opinion or attitude)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Attenuate or reduce in vigor, strength, or intensity by polishing or purifying

Example:

many valuable nutrients are refined out of the foods in our modern diet

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "refine" is one way to...):

attenuate (become weaker, in strength, value, or magnitude)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Sense 4

Meaning:

Improve or perfect by pruning or polishing

Example:

refine one's style of writing

Synonyms:

down; fine-tune; polish; refine

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "refine" is one way to...):

ameliorate; amend; better; improve; meliorate (to make better)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "refine"):

over-refine; overrefine (refine too much or with excess of subtlety)

civilise; civilize; cultivate; educate; school; train (teach or refine to be discriminative in taste or judgment)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody

Derivation:

refinement (the result of improving something)

refinement (a highly developed state of perfection; having a flawless or impeccable quality)

refiner (one whose work is to refine a specific thing)

Sense 5

Meaning:

Reduce to a fine, unmixed, or pure state; separate from extraneous matter or cleanse from impurities

Example:

refine sugar

Synonyms:

rectify; refine

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "refine" is one way to...):

distill; make pure; purify; sublimate (remove impurities from, increase the concentration of, and separate through the process of distillation)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Derivation:

refinement (the process of removing impurities (as from oil or metals or sugar etc.))

refiner (one whose work is to refine a specific thing)

refining (the process of removing impurities (as from oil or metals or sugar etc.))

Sense 6

Meaning:

Treat or prepare so as to put in a usable condition

Example:

refine oil

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "refine" is one way to...):

process; treat (subject to a process or treatment, with the aim of readying for some purpose, improving, or remedying a condition)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Derivation:

refinement (the process of removing impurities (as from oil or metals or sugar etc.))

refiner (one whose work is to refine a specific thing)

refinery (an industrial plant for purifying a crude substance)

Credits

 Context examples: 

Additional observations of asteroid 2013 TX68 have been obtained, refining its orbital path and moving the date of the asteroid's Earth flyby from March 5 to March 8.

(Small Asteroid to Pass Close to Earth March 8, NASA)

By narrowing the conditions for habitability, they hope to refine the search for potentially habitable planets.

(Even 'Goldilocks' exoplanets need a well-behaved star, National Science Foundation )

For a healthy diet, limit the amount of added sugar that you eat and choose whole grains over refined grains.

(Carbohydrates, NIH)

All this was torture to me—refined, lingering torture.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

The new data could help scientists better refine estimates of the distribution of the sizes of NEOs including larger ones that could pose a danger to Earth.

(New Map Shows Frequency of Small Asteroid Impacts, Provides Clues on Larger Asteroid Population, NASA)

Hence there is less distinction between the several classes of its inhabitants; and the lower orders, being neither so poor nor so despised, their manners are more refined and moral.

(Frankenstein, by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley)

The act of improving by expanding or enlarging or refining.

(Development, NCI Thesaurus)

The Afghan Hound is a sight hound that is tall and slender with a long, narrow, refined head; and powerful jaws.

(Afghan Hound, NCI Thesaurus)

I like your nice manners and refined ways of speaking, when you don't try to be elegant.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

Goal: refine current models, create models that more closely parallel human cancers, devise efficient procedures that will make models available to all researchers who need them.

(Extraordinary Opportunity: Preclinical Models of Cancer, NCI Thesaurus)