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Finished; brought to perfection; refined; hence, free from impurity; excellent; superior; elegant; worthy of admiration; accomplished; beautiful. The gain thereof [is better] than fine gold. Prov. iii. 14. A cup of wine that's brisk and fine. Shak. Not only the finest gentleman of his time, but one of the finest schola…

Polished to the highest degree of excellence; complete; perfect; as, a finished poem; a finished education. Finished work (Mach.), work that is made smooth or polished, though not necessarily completed.

Most eminent or exalted; most excellent; chief; highest; as, Demosthenes was the first orator of Greece. At first blush. See under Blush. -- At first hand, from the first or original source; without the intervention of any agent. It is the intention of the person to reveal it at first hand, by way of mouth, to yoursel…

Of the highest excellence; preëminent in quality, size, or estimation. Our only first-rate body of contemporary poetry is the German. M. Arnold. Hermocrates . . . a man of first-rate ability. Jowett (Thucyd).

First brought forth; first in the order of nativity; eldest; hence, most excellent; most distinguished or exalted.

The strong point; that in which one excels. fort"a The construction of a fable seems by no means the forte of our modern poetical writers. Jeffrey.

ontrive; to compose; in a bad sense, to invent or fabricate, as something false. How many excellent reasonings are framed in the mind of a man of wisdom and study in a length of years. I. Watts.

East Indian trees, of the genus Boswellia; a commoner sort, from the Norway spruce (Abies excelsa) and other coniferous trees. The frankincense of the ancient Jews is still unidentified.

A vessel of our country richly fraught. Shak. A discourse fraught with all the commending excellences oSouth. Enterprises fraught with world-wide benefits. I. Taylor.

A portion of the Mass (Gloria in Excelsis Deo, Glory be to God on high), and also of the communion service in some churches. In the Episcopal Church the version in English is used.

To make glorious in thought or with the heart, by ascribing glory to; to asknowledge the excellence of; to render homage to; to magnify in worship; to adore. That we for thee may glorify the Lord. Shak.

attributes, qualities, or acts that are worthy of or receive glory; noble; praiseworthy; excellent; splendid; illustrious; inspiring admiration; as, glorious deeds. These are thy glorious works, Parent of good ! Milton.

; that which brings or gives renown; an object of pride or boast; the occasion of praise; excellency; brilliancy; splendor. Think it no glory to swell in tyranny. Sir P. Sidney. Jewels lose their glory if neglected. Shak. Your sex's glory 't is to shine unknown. Young.

A woman of superior charms or excellence.

Very precious; highly valuable; excellent; eminently auspicious; as, golden opinions. Golden age. (a) The fabulous age of primeval simplicity and purity of manners in rural employments, followed by the silver, bronze, and iron ages. Dryden. (b) (Roman Literature) The best part (B. C. 81 -- A. D. 14) of the classical pe…

wer the end designed; promoting success, welfare, or happiness; serviceable; useful; fit; excellent; admirable; commendable; not bad, corrupt, evil, noxious, offensive, or troublesome, etc. And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. Gen. i. 31. Good company, good wine, good welcome. Shak.…

Excellently. [Obs.] Spenser.

The quality of being good in any of its various senses; excellence; virtue; kindness; benevolence; as, the goodness of timber, of a soil, of food; goodness of character, of disposition, of conduct, etc.

Inherent excellence; any endowment or characteristic fitted to win favor or confer pleasure or benefit. He is complete in feature and in mind. With all good grace to grace a gentleman. Shak. I have formerly given the general character of Mr. Addison's style and manner as natural and unaffected, easy and polite, and ful…

Wanting in grace or excellence; departed from, or deprived of, divine grace; hence, depraved; corrupt. "In a graceless age." Milton.