[syn: daintiness, delicacy, fineness]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Fineness \Fine"ness\, n. [From Fine, a.]
1. The quality or condition of being fine.
[1913 Webster]
2. Freedom from foreign matter or alloy; clearness; purity;
as, the fineness of liquor.
[1913 Webster]
The fineness of the gold, and chargeful fashion.
--Shak.
[1913 Webster]
3. The proportion of pure silver or gold in jewelry, bullion,
or coins.
[1913 Webster]
Note: The fineness of United States coin is nine tenths, that
of English gold coin is eleven twelfths, and that of
English silver coin is [frac925x1000].
[1913 Webster]
4. Keenness or sharpness; as, the fineness of a needle's
point, or of the edge of a blade.
[1913 Webster]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
fineness
n 1: the quality of being very good indeed; "the inn is
distinguished by the fineness of its cuisine" [syn:
fineness, choiceness]
2: the property of being very narrow or thin; "he marvelled at
the fineness of her hair" [syn: fineness, thinness]
3: having a very fine texture; "the fineness of the sand on the
beach" [syn: fineness, powderiness]
4: the quality of being beautiful and delicate in appearance;
"the daintiness of her touch"; "the fineness of her features"
[syn: daintiness, delicacy, fineness]