refine
1. improve or perfect by pruning or polishing (Freq. 2)
- refine one's style of writing
• Syn:
polish, fine-tune, down
• Derivationally related forms:
refinement, refiner, polish (for: polish)
• Hypernyms:
better, improve, amend, ameliorate, meliorate
• Hyponyms:
overrefine, over-refine, educate, school, train,
cultivate, civilize, civilise
• Verb Frames:
- Somebody ----s something
- Somebody ----s somebody
- Something ----s somebody
2. make more complex, intricate, or richer (Freq. 1)
- refine a design or pattern
• Syn:
complicate, rarify, elaborate
• Derivationally related forms:
elaboration (for: elaborate), complication (for: complicate)
• Hypernyms:
change, alter, modify
• Hyponyms:
involve, develop, sophisticate
• Verb Frames:
- Somebody ----s something
- Something ----s something
3. treat or prepare so as to put in a usable condition
- refine paper stock
- refine pig iron
- refine oil
• Derivationally related forms:
refinement, refiner, refinery
• Hypernyms:
process, treat
• Verb Frames:
- Somebody ----s something
- Something ----s something
4. reduce to a fine, unmixed, or pure state;
separate from extraneous matter or cleanse from impurities
- refine sugar
• Syn:
rectify
• Derivationally related forms:
rectification (for: rectify), refinement, refiner, refining
• Hypernyms:
purify, sublimate, make pure, distill
• Verb Frames:
- Somebody ----s something
- Something ----s something
5. 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
• Hypernyms:
attenuate
• Verb Frames:
- Somebody ----s something
- Something ----s something
6. make more precise or increase the discriminatory powers of
- refine a method of analysis
- refine the constant in the equation
• Derivationally related forms:
refinement
• Hypernyms:
change, alter, modify
• Verb Frames:
- Somebody ----s something
- Something ----s something
|
|
