1. (

• polish ,
• refine ,
• fine-tune ,
• down

) improve or perfect by pruning or polishing; "refine one's style of writing" ;

2. (

• complicate ,
• refine ,
• rarify ,
• elaborate

) make more complex, intricate, or richer; "refine a design or pattern" ;

3. (

• refine ,

) treat or prepare so as to put in a usable condition; "refine paper stock"; "refine pig iron"; "refine oil" ;

4. (

• refine ,
• rectify ,

) reduce to a fine, unmixed, or pure state; separate from extraneous matter or cleanse from impurities; "refine sugar" ;

5. (

• refine ,

) attenuate or reduce in vigor, strength, or intensity by polishing or purifying; "many valuable nutrients are refined out of the foods in our modern diet" ;

6. (

• refine ,

) make more precise or increase the discriminatory powers of; "refine a method of analysis"; "refine the constant in the equation" ;

1. (

• refined ,

) (used of persons and their behavior) cultivated and genteel; "she was delicate and refined and unused to hardship"; "refined people with refined taste" ;

2. (

• refined ,
• processed ,

) freed from impurities by processing; "refined sugar"; "refined oil"; "to gild refined gold"- Shakespeare ;

3. (

• polished ,
• refined ,
• urbane

) showing a high degree of refinement and the assurance that comes from wide social experience; "his polished manner"; "maintained an urbane tone in his letters" ;

4. (

• refined

) precise to a fine degree; "due to the limitations of the available tools, a more refined analysis of the data may be necessary" ;

5. (

• elegant ,
• graceful ,
• refined

) suggesting taste, ease, and wealth ;