fine
Definitions
Of high quality; very good or excellent.
优质的；极好的。
In good health or satisfactory condition; all right.
（身体、状态）好的，没问题的。
Thin, delicate, or made of very small particles.
细的，纤细的；细微的。
In a satisfactory way; well enough.
不错地；挺好地。
A sum of money imposed as a penalty.
罚款。
To punish someone by making them pay a sum of money.
处以罚款。
Root Breakdown
Root-derivedAll senses trace to Latin fīnis 'end, limit' through two routes. The adjective comes from finītus 'finished, brought to its finest state' — something so perfectly completed it is thin, delicate, excellent. The noun/verb 'penalty' comes from the legal fīnis 'a settlement': a fine is the payment that ends (settles) a dispute or punishment. Same root, two faces — quality and the closing of accounts.
Root fin still carries 30 more wordsWhy It Means This
Fine is a single word doing two very different jobs, and the root explains why. Latin fīnis meant 'end/limit,' and 'finishing' something perfectly made it fine — polished, thin, of the highest grade (fine wine, fine print, fine sand). Separately, in medieval law, fīnis named a 'settlement' that ended a dispute; the money paid to settle became a fine (a penalty). So 'a fine wine' and 'a parking fine' are not a coincidence of spelling — both are about bringing something to its end, one as perfection, the other as resolution.
Common Collocations
- 1.fine wine美酒
- 2.fine print小号字条款
- 3.fine line细微的界线
- 4.heavy fine重罚
- 5.pay a fine缴纳罚款
- 6.I'm fine我很好
Example Sentences
- 1.
They serve fine wine and excellent food.
- 2.
Don't worry, I'm fine.
- 3.
Cut the herbs into fine pieces.
- 4.
He got a parking fine of fifty dollars.
- 5.
She was fined for speeding on the motorway.
Easily Confused
fine vs fee — both are money, but a fine is a penalty for doing something wrong (a speeding fine), while a fee is a normal charge for a service (a tuition fee, a booking fee). You pay a fee willingly; a fine is imposed on you.