Hypertext Webster Gateway: "refinement"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Refinement \Re*fine"ment\ (r?*f?n"ment), n. [Cf. F.
raffinement.]
1. The act of refining, or the state of being refined; as,
the refinement or metals; refinement of ideas.
The more bodies are of kin to spirit in subtilty and
refinement, the more diffusive are they. --Norris.
From the civil war to this time, I doubt whether the
corruptions in our language have not equaled its
refinements. --Swift.
2. That which is refined, elaborated, or polished to excess;
an affected subtilty; as, refinements of logic. ``The
refinements of irregular cunning.'' --Rogers.
Syn: Purification; polish; politeness; gentility; elegance;
cultivation; civilization.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
refinement
n 1: a highly developed state of perfection; having a flawless or
impeccable quality; "they performed with great polish";
"I admired the exquisite refinement of his prose";
"almost an inspiration which gives to all work that
finish which is almost art"--Joseph Conrad [syn: {polish},
{culture}, {cultivation}, {finish}]
2: the result of improving something; "he described a
refinement of this technique" [syn: {elaboration}]
3: the process of removing impurities from oil or metals or
sugar [syn: {refining}]
4: a subtle difference in meaning or opinion or attitude [syn:
{nuance}, {nicety}, {shade}, {subtlety}]
5: elegance by virtue of fineness of manner and expression
[syn: {breeding}, {genteelness}, {gentility}]
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