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| fi·nesse [ fi néss ] |
noun (plural fi·ness·es) |
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| Definition: |
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1. physical skill: elegant ability and dexterity
  using a combination of power and finesse
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2. tactful treatment: a delicate and skillful approach in dealing with a troublesome situation
shows great tact and finesse
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3. bridge tactic in bridge: in bridge, an attempt to win a trick with a lower-value card while holding a higher card not in sequence, hoping that the opponent to the left will not play a card of intervening value
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verb (past and past participle fi·nessed, present participle fi·ness·ing, 3rd person present singular fi·ness·es) |
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| Definition: |
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1. transitive and intransitive verb bridge try winning trick in bridge: in bridge, to attempt to win a trick with a finesse
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2. transitive verb U.S. control in a devious way: to use subtle tricks or deception to manipulate something or somebody
find some way of finessing the negotiations
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| [Mid-16th century. < French, "fineness" < fin (see fine1)] |
