finesse

== English == === Etymology === From Middle English finesse (“degree of excellence; (of metal) fineness, purity”), from Middle French finesse, Old French finesse (“fineness; delicacy; slenderness”), from fine, fin (“fine, thin”) (from Latin fīnis (“end”); compare Middle English fīn (“of superior quality; precious, valuable; admirable, pleasing; pure, refined; fineness, purity; delicate, exquisite, fine; sharp, thin”)) + -esse (suffix forming nouns describing the condition of being something). The verb is derived from the noun. === Pronunciation === (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /fɪˈnɛs/, /fɨ-/ (General American) IPA(key): /fɪˈnɛs/, /fə-/ Hyphenation: fin‧esse === Noun === finesse (countable and uncountable, plural finesses) (uncountable) Skill in the handling or manipulation of a situation. [from c. 1520] Synonym: finessing (uncountable) The property of having elegance, grace, refinement, or skill. [from mid 16th c.] (countable) An adroit manoeuvre. [from mid 16th c.] (countable, card games) In bridge, whist, etc.: a technique which allows one to win a trick, usually by playing a card when it is thought that a card that can beat it is held by another player whose turn is over. [from early 18th c.] ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Translations ==== === Verb === finesse (third-person singular simple present finesses, present participle finessing, simple past and past participle finessed) (transitive, chiefly Canada, US, politics) To evade (a problem, situation, etc.) by using some clever argument or stratagem. (ambitransitive) To handle or manage carefully or skilfully; to manipulate in a crafty way. [from mid 18th c.] Synonym: (slang) zhoosh (transitive, slang) To obtain something from someone through trickery or manipulation. (intransitive, card games) To attempt to win a trick by finessing. [from mid 18th c.] (transitive, card games) To play (a card) as a finesse. [from mid 18th c.] (intransitive, croquet, obsolete) To play a ball out of the way of an opponent. ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Translations ==== === References === === Further reading === finesse (card games) on Wikipedia.Wikipedia finesse (disambiguation) on Wikipedia.Wikipedia == French == === Etymology === From fin +‎ -esse. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /fi.nɛs/ Rhymes: -ɛs === Noun === finesse f (plural finesses) fineness (of hair, writing etc.) thinness keenness, sharpness (of blade) fineness, delicacy; slenderness perceptiveness; sensitivity, finesse === Further reading === “finesse”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012