Meaning of REFINE
Pronunciation: | | ri'fIn
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WordNet Dictionary |
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| Definition: | |
- [v] make more complex, intricate, or richer; "refine a design or pattern"
- [v] make more precise or increase the discriminatory powers of; "refine a method of analysis"; "refine the constant in the equation"
- [v] attenuate or reduce in vigor, strength, or validity by polishing or purifying; "many valuable nutrients are refined out of the foods in our modern diet"
- [v] improve or perfect by pruning or polishing; "refine one's style of writing"
- [v] reduce to a fine, unmixed, or pure state; separate from extraneous matter or cleanse from impurities; "refine sugar"
- [v] treat or prepare so as to put in a usable condition; "refine paper stock"; "refine pig iron"; "refine oil"
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| Synonyms: | | complicate, down, elaborate, fine-tune, polish, rarify, rectify |
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| See Also: | | alter, ameliorate, amend, attenuate, better, change, civilise, civilize, cultivate, develop, distill, educate, improve, involve, make pure, meliorate, process, purify, school, sophisticate, sublimate, train, treat | |
Webster's 1913 Dictionary |
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| Definition: | |
\Re*fine"\ (r?*f?n"), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Refined}
(-find"); p. pr. & vb. n. {Refining}.] [Pref. re- + fine to
make fine: cf. F. raffiner.]
1. To reduce to a fine, unmixed, or pure state; to free from
impurities; to free from dross or alloy; to separate from
extraneous matter; to purify; to defecate; as, to refine
gold or silver; to refine iron; to refine wine or sugar.
I will bring the third part through the fire, and
will refine them as silver is refined. --Zech. xiii.
9.
2. To purify from what is gross, coarse, vulgar, inelegant,
low, and the like; to make elegant or exellent; to polish;
as, to refine the manners, the language, the style, the
taste, the intellect, or the moral feelings.
Love refines The thoughts, and heart enlarges.
--Milton.
Syn: To purify; clarify; polish; ennoble.
\Re*fine"\, v. i.
1. To become pure; to be cleared of feculent matter.
So the pure, limpid stream, when foul with stains,
Works itself clear, and, as it runs, refines.
--Addison.
2. To improve in accuracy, delicacy, or excellence.
Chaucer refined on Boccace, and mended his stories.
--Dryden.
But let a lord once own the happy lines, How the wit
brightens! How the style refines! --Pope.
3. To affect nicety or subtilty in thought or language. ``He
makes another paragraph about our refining in
controversy.'' --Atterbury.
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Computing Dictionary |
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| Definition: | | 1. "Research on Knowledge-Based Software Environments at Kestrel Institute", D.R. Smith et al, IEEE Trans Soft Eng, SE-11(11) (1985). E-mail: <[email protected]>. 2. Cordell Green et al, Stanford U. Uses logic to specify and evolve programs. Reasoning Systems, Inc. E-mail: <[email protected]>. |
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