finesse
(redirected from finesses)Also found in: Thesaurus, Encyclopedia.
finesse
extreme delicacy in performance; skill; adroitness; trick or stratagem; skill in handling a highly sensitive situation; adroit and artful management: exceptional diplomatic finesse
Not to be confused with:
fineness – state of being fine; superior quality; proportion of pure precious metal in an alloy: The fineness of the diamond was extraordinary.
Abused, Confused, & Misused Words by Mary Embree Copyright © 2007, 2013 by Mary Embree
fi·nesse
(fə-nĕs′)n.
1. Refinement and delicacy of performance, execution, or artisanship.
2. Skillful, subtle handling of a situation; tactful, diplomatic maneuvering.
3. A method of leading up to a tenace, as in bridge, in order to prevent an opponent from winning the trick with an intermediate card.
4. A stratagem in which one appears to decline an advantage.
v. fi·nessed, fi·ness·ing, fi·ness·es
v.tr.
1. To accomplish by the use of finesse.
2. To handle with a deceptive or evasive strategy.
3. To play (a card) as a finesse.
v.intr.
1. To use finesse.
2. To make a finesse in cards.
[French, fineness, subtlety, from fin, fine; see fine1.]
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.
finesse
(fɪˈnɛs)n
1. elegant skill in style or performance
2. subtlety and tact in handling difficult situations
3. (Card Games) bridge whist an attempt to win a trick when opponents hold a high card in the suit led by playing a lower card, hoping the opponent who has already played holds the missing card
4. a trick, artifice, or strategy
vb
5. to manage or bring about with finesse
6. (Card Games) to play (a card) as a finesse
[C15: from Old French, from fin fine, delicate; see fine1]
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
fi•nesse
(fɪˈnɛss)n., v. -nessed, -ness•ing. n.
1. extreme delicacy or subtlety in performance, skill, discrimination, etc.
2. skill and adroitness in handling a difficult or highly sensitive situation.
3. a trick, artifice, or stratagem.
4. an attempt to win a trick in bridge with a card lower than one in an opponent's hand.
v.i. 5. to use finesse or artifice.
6. to make a finesse at cards.
v.t. 7. to bring about by finesse or artifice.
8. to avoid; circumvent.
9. to make a finesse with (a card).
10. to force the playing of (a card) by a finesse.
[1400–50; late Middle English: degree of excellence or purity < Middle French < Vulgar Latin *fīnitia. See fine1, -ice]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
finesse
Past participle: finessed
Gerund: finessing
| Imperative |
|---|
| finesse |
| finesse |
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
| Noun | 1. | finesse - subtly skillful handling of a situation tact, tactfulness - consideration in dealing with others and avoiding giving offense |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
finesse
noun
1. skill, style, know-how (informal), polish, craft, diplomacy, discretion, sophistication, subtlety, delicacy, tact, cleverness, quickness, savoir-faire, adroitness, artfulness, adeptness handling diplomatic challenges with finesse
verb
1. manoeuvre, steer, manipulate, bluff a typical politician trying to finesse a sticky situation
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
finesse
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.
TranslationsSelect a language:
Spanish / Español
finesse
[fɪˈnes]A. N
1. (in judgement) → finura f, delicadeza f; (in action) → diplomacia f, sutileza f; (= cunning) → astucia f
2. (Cards) → impasse m
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
finesse
(fines) noun cleverness and skill in dealing with a situation etc. She managed that situation with great finesse.delicadeza
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.