fine
fine — adjective
1. good enough for a particular purpose or situation; also used to say that a perso
good enough for a particular purpose or situation; also used to say that a person is in good health and not feeling ill.
The hotel room was small but fine for one night.
fine + for + purpose
Ayana asked if her essay was fine, and the teacher said yes.
"Are you feeling okay?" "I'm fine, just a little tired."
Otis checked the cake and said it looked fine to serve.
The road was rough, but the car's tyres were fine.
- okay
more casual, very common in spoken English
- acceptable
slightly more formal; focuses on meeting a standard
- satisfactory
formal; used in evaluations and reports
- adequate
suggests the bare minimum, sometimes implying it is not generous
- bad
the opposite of being good enough
- unsatisfactory
formal antonym for when something does not meet requirements
文法句型
be + fine
be + fine + for + noun phrase
be + fine + infinitive
用法筆記
Predicative only — use this sense after linking verbs (be, feel, look, seem), not before a noun. For the attributive use before nouns ("a fine meal"), see sense 2 (EXCELLENT).
2. of very high quality; much better than most other things of the same type.
of very high quality; much better than most other things of the same type.
The restaurant is known for its fine wine selection.
fine + [product] — high quality
Meera gave a fine performance in the school play.
That museum has one of the finest art collections in Europe.
Nikos received a fine education at the university in Athens.
- excellent
stronger and more direct than 'fine'; common in praise
- superb
stronger and less common; for truly outstanding quality
- outstanding
suggests the best among a group
- first-rate
informal, emphasizes top-level quality
文法句型
fine + noun
用法筆記
The superlative form "finest" is very common for describing the best examples of wines, art, food, or craftsmanship.
常見錯誤
3. formed of very thin strands, tiny particles, or narrow threads; not thick or coa
formed of very thin strands, tiny particles, or narrow threads; not thick or coarse in texture.
Sari used a pen with a fine tip to draw the details.
fine + [item with thin/narrow characteristic]
The baker added fine sugar instead of coarse grains.
Ava wore a sweater made of fine wool that felt soft against her skin.
The sand on that beach is so fine it feels like powder when you touch it.
Joon cut the carrots into fine pieces for the soup.
文法句型
fine + noun (material, texture)
用法筆記
Often contrasts with 'coarse' or 'thick'. Common in cooking (fine salt, fine herbs), textiles (fine silk, fine thread), and writing instruments (fine nib, fine point).
常見錯誤
4. involving small but important differences that need careful judgment; very preci
involving small but important differences that need careful judgment; very precise and requiring close attention.
There is a fine line between confidence and arrogance.
a fine line between X and Y
The lawyer explained a fine point of the contract that most people miss.
Eitan has a fine eye for detail in his photography work.
The judge made a fine distinction between two similar legal cases.
文法句型
fine + noun (abstract concept)
fine + line + between
用法筆記
Common in fixed phrases like 'a fine line' (a small difference that can be easily crossed) and 'the finer points' (the more detailed or complicated aspects). Frequently used in law, philosophy, and criticism.
5. bright with sunshine and without rain; describing weather that is pleasant and c
bright with sunshine and without rain; describing weather that is pleasant and clear.
We had fine weather for our picnic at the park.
fine weather / fine day
Lucía hoped for a fine day for her outdoor wedding.
Tomorrow will be fine with blue skies and no clouds.
The forecast said it would be fine all weekend.
文法句型
it + be + fine
a + fine + day/morning/afternoon
用法筆記
Primarily British English. In American English, 'nice' or 'clear' is more common for describing good weather. Not used with nouns like 'rain' or 'storm' (you cannot say 'fine rain' in this sense).
常見錯誤
6. used to show the opposite of what you really mean, especially when a situation i
used to show the opposite of what you really mean, especially when a situation is bad, annoying, or inconvenient.
That's a fine mess you've got us into with your mistake!
sarcastic pattern: 'a fine + [usually bad noun]'
A fine time to tell me — the train has already left.
You're a fine one to talk about being late!
Bilal called this a fine situation, but his angry face said otherwise.
文法句型
a + fine + noun (negative context)
用法筆記
Always ironic or sarcastic — the speaker means the opposite of what the words say. Tone of voice is critical. The pattern 'a fine + [noun]' in a negative context signals this use. Not used in writing without clear ironic framing.
常見錯誤
7. elegant in appearance, style, or character; showing good taste and high social r
elegant in appearance, style, or character; showing good taste and high social refinement.
The mansion was decorated with fine furniture and silk curtains.
fine + [elegant possessions]
Christopher wore a fine suit to the awards ceremony.
The museum displayed a collection of fine china from the 18th century.
Nala has fine manners and always speaks politely to everyone.
- elegant
direct synonym; more common in modern English
- refined
emphasizes sophistication through education or taste
- aristocratic
narrower — suggests the elegance of the upper classes specifically
文法句型
fine + noun (appearance or manner)
用法筆記
Attributive only in this sense — use it before a noun ("fine silk," "fine manners"). Do not use predicatively (do not say "Her manners are fine" to mean elegant — that would be sense 1, GOOD ENOUGH).
常見錯誤
fine — adverb
1. in a way that is good enough or satisfactory; without problems or difficulty.
in a way that is good enough or satisfactory; without problems or difficulty.
Everything is going fine with the project so far.
going fine / working fine — common collocations
The computer was old but still ran fine.
Tuan got along fine with his new classmates from the first day.
"Don't worry about dinner — I'll manage fine on my own."
- well
more formal and standard; can be used in any register
- satisfactorily
formal; common in reports and evaluations
- okay
more casual, very common in spoken English
- badly
the opposite in terms of performance
文法句型
verb + fine
be + doing + fine
用法筆記
Place 'fine' directly after the verb or after the object if there is one ('I manage fine' versus 'I do fine'). In formal writing, replace with 'well' or 'satisfactorily.' Cannot be graded (*'very fin*ely' as an adverb — use 'very well' instead).
常見錯誤
fine — noun
1. a sum of money that a person or organization is ordered to pay as punishment for
a sum of money that a person or organization is ordered to pay as punishment for breaking a law, rule, or regulation.
The driver had to pay a fine for parking in a no-parking zone.
pay a fine for [offence]
The company received a heavy fine for polluting the river.
heavy fine / large fine — adjective + fine
Élise paid her library fine and checked out three new books.
If you return the books late, there is a fine of two dollars per day.
文法句型
pay + a + fine
a + fine + of + amount
fine + for + offence
用法筆記
Commonly occurs with verbs 'pay,' 'impose,' 'face,' and 'receive.' The amount can be specified with 'of' (a fine of $500) or placed before the noun (a $500 fine). Not used for non-monetary penalties (prison, community service).
常見錯誤
fine — verb
1. to order someone to pay a specific sum of money as punishment for breaking a law
to order someone to pay a specific sum of money as punishment for breaking a law or rule.
The police fined him $200 for driving without a licence.
fine + [person] + [amount] + for [offence]
The library fines people who keep books past the due date.
Eri was fined for dropping rubbish on the street.
Companies that break safety rules can be fined thousands of dollars.
文法句型
fine + person + amount + for + offence
be + fined + amount + for + offence
用法筆記
Common in passive constructions because the focus is often on the person being fined rather than the authority imposing the fine. The amount is optional — you can say 'She was fined for speeding' without specifying the amount.