delicacy, diplomacy, discreetness, finesse
(noun) subtly skillful handling of a situation
Source: WordNet® 3.1
finesse (countable and uncountable, plural finesses)
(uncountable) Skill in the handling or manipulation of a situation. [from c. 1520]
Synonym: finessing
(uncountable) The property of having elegance, grace, refinement, or skill. [from mid 16th c.]
(countable) An adroit manoeuvre. [from mid 16th c.]
(countable, card games) In bridge, whist, etc.: a technique which allows one to win a trick, usually by playing a card when it is thought that a card that can beat it is held by another player whose turn is over. [from early 18th c.]
finesse (third-person singular simple present finesses, present participle finessing, simple past and past participle finessed)
(transitive, chiefly, Canada, US, politics) To evade (a problem, situation, etc.) by using some clever argument or strategem.
(transitive, card games) To play (a card) as a finesse. [from mid 18th c.]
(ambitransitive) To handle or manage carefully or skilfully; to manipulate in a crafty way. [from mid 18th c.]
Synonym: zhoosh (slang)
(intransitive, card games) To attempt to win a trick by finessing. [from mid 18th c.]
(intransitive, croquet, obsolete) To play a ball out of the way of an opponent.
Source: Wiktionary
Fi`nesse" ( or ), n. Etym: [F., fr. fin fine. See Fine, a.]
1. Subtilty of contrivance to gain a point; artifice; stratagem. This is the artificialest piece of finesse to persuade men into slavery. Milton.
2. (Whist Playing)
Definition: The act of finessing. See Finesse, v. i., 2.
Fi*nesse", v. i. [imp. & p. p. Finessed; p. pr. & vb. n. Finessing.]
1. To use artifice or stratagem. Goldsmith.
2. (Whist Playing)
Definition: To attempt, when second or third player, to make a lower card answer the purpose of a higher, when an intermediate card is out, risking the chance of its being held by the opponent yet to play.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition
23 November 2024
(adjective) concerned primarily with theories or hypotheses rather than practical considerations; “theoretical science”
Coffee dates back to the 9th century. Goat herders in Ethiopia noticed their goats seem to be “dancing” after eating berries from a particular shrub. They reported it to the local monastery, and a monk made a drink out of it. The monk found out he felt energized and kept him awake at night. That’s how the first coffee drink was born.
