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ike; 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.

The act of refurnishing, or state of being refurnished. The refurnishment was in a style richer than before. L. Wallace.

g which in ancient times might perhaps be material, but at this time are become only mere styles and forms, are still continued with much religion. Sir M. Hale.

The style of art which prevailed at this epoch. The Renaissance was rather the last stage of the Middle Ages, emerging from ecclesiastical and feudal despotism, developing what was original in mediæval ideas by the light of classic arts and letters. J. A. Symonds (Encyc. Brit. ).

A political agency at a native court in British India, held by an officer styled the Residentl: also, a Dutch commercial colony or province in the East Indies.

Severity, as of style, or the like. Jefferson.

become more and more dignified or forcible; to increase in interest or power; -- said of style, thought, or discourse; as, to rise in force of expression; to rise in eloquence; a story rises in interest.

An outer garment; a dress of a rich, flowing, and elegant style or make; hence, a dress of state, rank, office, or the like. Through tattered clothes small vices do appear; Robes and furred gowns hide all. Shak.

A florid style of ornamentation which prevailed in Europe in the latter part of the eighteenth century.

A short lyric tale set to music; a song or short instrumental piece in ballad style; a romanza.

Somewhat resembling the Roman; -- applied sometimes to the debased style of the later Roman empire, but esp. to the more developed architecture prevailing from the 8th century to the 12th.

Of or pertaining to the style of the Christian and popular literature of the Middle Ages, as opposed to the classical antique; of the nature of, or appropriate to, that style; as, the romantic school of poets.

Full and smoothly expanded; not defective or abrupt; finished; polished; -- said of style, or of authors with reference to their style. [Obs.] In his satires Horace is quick, round, and pleasant. Peacham.

A style of bookbinding in which the back is plain leather, the sides paper or cloth, the top gilt-edged, but the front and bottom left uncut.

Robbed; borrowed. Temple rubato. Etym: [It.] (Mus.) Borrowed time; -- a term applied to a style of performance in which some tones are held longer than their legitimate time, while others are proportionally curtailed.

not in good taste; unsatisfactory in mode of treatment; -- said of literature, language, style, and the like. "The rude Irish books." Spenser. Rude am I in my speech. Shak. Unblemished by my rude translation. Dryden.

Rough to the ear; harsh; grating; -- said of sound, style, and the like. Through the harsh cadence of a rugged line. Dryden.

To be in form thus, as a combination of words. The king's ordinary style runneth, "Our sovereign lord the king." Bp. Sanderson.

of a locomotive or other machine, in distinction from the framework. -- Running hand, a style of rapid writing in which the letters are usually slanted and the words formed without lifting the pen; -- distinguished from round hand. -- Running part (Naut.), that part of a rope that is hauled upon, -- in distinction f…

The system, style, spirit, or character, of a priesthood, or sacerdotal order; devotion to the interests of the sacerdotal order.