B2 verb Neutre

refine

/rɪˈfaɪn/

To improve something by making small, incremental changes to make it more polished, efficient, or elegant. It can also refer to the process of purifying a substance, such as sugar or oil, by removing impurities.

Exemples

3 sur 5
1

I need to refine my recipe for the perfect sourdough bread by adjusting the water content.

I need to improve my sourdough bread recipe by changing the amount of water.

2

The committee will refine the legislative proposal before presenting it to the assembly.

The committee will polish the law proposal before showing it to the assembly.

3

You should really refine your jokes if you want people to actually laugh.

You should work on your jokes if you want people to laugh.

Famille de mots

Nom
refinement
Verb
refine
Adjectif
refined
Apparenté
refinery
💡

Astuce mémo

Think of 're-fine': To make something 'fine' (excellent) again and again until it is perfect.

Quiz rapide

The software developers are working to _______ the user interface before the official launch.

Correct !

La bonne réponse est : refine

Exemples

1

I need to refine my recipe for the perfect sourdough bread by adjusting the water content.

everyday

I need to improve my sourdough bread recipe by changing the amount of water.

2

The committee will refine the legislative proposal before presenting it to the assembly.

formal

The committee will polish the law proposal before showing it to the assembly.

3

You should really refine your jokes if you want people to actually laugh.

informal

You should work on your jokes if you want people to laugh.

4

Researchers must refine their methodology to eliminate potential biases in the data collection.

academic

Researchers must improve their methods to remove bias in data collection.

5

Our main goal this quarter is to refine our sales process to increase conversion rates.

business

Our main goal this quarter is to optimize our sales process to boost conversions.

Famille de mots

Nom
refinement
Verb
refine
Adjectif
refined
Apparenté
refinery

Collocations courantes

refine a technique to improve a specific method or skill
refine a search to narrow down or improve search results
refine a process to make a system more efficient
oil refining the industrial process of purifying oil
refine an approach to adjust the way one deals with a situation

Phrases Courantes

refine upon

to improve or add more detail to an existing idea

refined taste

having sophisticated or elegant preferences

highly refined

extremely polished or processed

Souvent confondu avec

refine vs define

To define is to state the meaning of a word; to refine is to improve something that already exists.

refine vs redefine

To redefine is to change the fundamental nature or meaning of something, whereas refine just improves it.

📝

Notes d'usage

Use 'refine' when you are talking about making something better through small adjustments rather than a complete overhaul. It is also the standard term for the industrial processing of raw materials.

⚠️

Erreurs courantes

Learners often use 'refine' when they mean 'fix'. 'Fix' implies something was broken, while 'refine' implies it was already working but could be better.

💡

Astuce mémo

Think of 're-fine': To make something 'fine' (excellent) again and again until it is perfect.

📖

Origine du mot

From the Middle French 'raffiner', where 're-' (again) is added to 'affiner' (to make fine).

Modèles grammaticaux

Transitive verb (requires a direct object) Regular verb (refined, refining) Often used in the passive voice for industrial contexts (e.g., 'Oil is refined')

Quiz rapide

The software developers are working to _______ the user interface before the official launch.

Correct !

La bonne réponse est : refine

Mots lis

pale

A1

Describes something that has very little color or is much lighter than usual. It is often used to describe a person's face when they are ill or a color that is mixed with a lot of white.

lung

A1

The lungs are two organs inside your chest that you use to breathe. They bring oxygen into your body and remove carbon dioxide when you breathe out.

tropical

A1

Relating to the hot regions of the Earth near the equator. It describes weather that is very warm and wet, or plants and animals that come from these areas.

trader

A1

A trader is a person whose job is to buy and sell goods, stocks, or other items for profit. They can work in a small local market or on large international financial exchanges.

indoor

A1

Describes something that is located, happens, or is used inside a building rather than outside. It is an adjective used before a noun to talk about activities or objects protected from the weather.

threshold

A1

A threshold is the physical area at the bottom of a doorway that you step over to enter a room or building. It also refers to the level or point at which something starts to happen or changes.

tribute

A1

A tribute is something that you say, do, or give to show your respect and admiration for someone. It is often a public act used to honor a person's life, work, or memory.

elder

A1

Used to describe a person who is older than another, especially within a family. It is also used to refer to people who have a high status or more experience because of their age.

russian

A1

Relating to Russia, its people, its language, or its culture. It describes things that come from or are connected to the largest country in the world.

southeastern

A1

Located in or coming from the direction between south and east. It describes a place, a region, or a wind that is in the corner between the bottom and the right on a map.

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