Dictionary › R › refine
refine
2 syllablesYour browser doesn’t have built-in voices. Try Chrome, Edge or Safari.
As a verb, refine means purify.
Meanings of refine
10 meaningsverb
To purify; reduce to a fine, unmixed, or pure state; to free from impurities.
“to refine gold”
“to refine iron”
To become pure; to be cleared of impure matter.
To purify of coarseness, vulgarity, inelegance, etc.; to polish.
“to refine someone's manners”
“to refine a language”
To improve in accuracy, delicacy, or excellence.
To make nice or subtle.
“to refine thought”
“to refine someone's language”
Make more complex, intricate, or richer
“refine a design or pattern”
Similar: complicate, rarify, elaborateTreat or prepare so as to put in a usable condition
“refine paper stock”
“refine pig iron”
“refine oil”
Attenuate or reduce in vigor, strength, or intensity by polishing or purifying
“many valuable nutrients are refined out of the foods in our modern diet”
Make more precise or increase the discriminatory powers of
“refine a method of analysis”
“refine the constant in the equation”
Meanings from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Open English WordNet (CC BY 4.0).