finely

Everyday

1. In very small or thin pieces: «finely chopped onion». tree →
2. Very carefully and exactly, with small details: «finely balanced», «finely tuned». tree →
3. (old or formal) In a fine, beautiful way. tree →
4. Finely can also mean well or successfully, as in "I have done finely." tree →

In the lessons

In cooking, recipes tell you to chop or grate something finely. In science and engineering, instruments are finely tuned or finely adjusted. In arguments and sport, «finely balanced» means very close. Phrases: «finely chopped», «finely balanced», «finely tuned», «finely ground».

Examples

• Chop the onion finely. tree →
• Grate the cheese finely over the pasta. tree →
• The match was finely balanced until the last minute. tree →
• The violin was finely tuned before the concert. tree →
• Coffee beans are finely ground into powder. tree →
• The model ship was finely made, with tiny ropes. tree →
• ‘Well,’ thought the shoemaker, ‘I have done finely. tree →

Note

Adverb from «fine». Not used to mean «okay» («I'm fine» does not become «finely»). Opposite in cooking: coarsely or roughly.