Refine — Defs

01 v. t. To reduce to a fine, unmixed, or pure state; to free from impurities; to free from dross or alloy; to separate from extraneous matter; to p…

imp. & p. p. Refined; p. pr. & vb. n. Refining

1.
To reduce to a fine, unmixed, or pure state; to free from impurities; to free from dross or alloy; to separate from extraneous matter; to purify; to defecate; as, to refine gold or silver; to refine iron; to refine wine or sugar.
“I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined.” — Zech. xiii. 9.
2.
To purify from what is gross, coarse, vulgar, inelegant, low, and the like; to make elegant or exellent; to polish; as, to refine the manners, the language, the style, the taste, the intellect, or the moral feelings.
“Love refines The thoughts, and heart enlarges.” — Milton.

Syn. To purify; clarify; polish; ennoble.

02 v. i. To become pure; to be cleared of feculent matter.

1.
To become pure; to be cleared of feculent matter.
“So the pure, limpid stream, when foul with stains, Works itself clear, and, as it runs, refines.” — Addison.
2.
To improve in accuracy, delicacy, or excellence.
“Chaucer refined on Boccace, and mended his stories.” — Dryden.

“But let a lord once own the happy lines, How the wit brightens! How the style refines!” — Pope.
3.
To affect nicety or subtilty in thought or language.