Obs. Forms: 3–6 fine, (3 fin, 4 fyn), fyn(e(n. Often with strong pa. t.: 3–4 fan(e, (3 fayne), 4 fon, 5 fyne. [ad. OF. finer = Cat., Sp., Pg. finar, It. finare, com. Rom. finare, f. L. fīn-is end.]
1. intr. Of persons and other agents: To cease, stop, give over, desist. Const. inf. with to.
1297. R. Glouc. (1724), 140. Heo ne fynede neuer mo, ar þo oþer ware at gronde.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 3309 (Cott.).
| Bot ai þe quils he ne fan | |
| To be-hald þat leue maidan. |
c. 1375. Sc. Leg. Saints, Jacobus, 338.
| For-þi þe lele men, ore þa fane, Thinkand na ewil, vent to þe hill. |
1430. Lydgate, Chronicle of Troy, I. ii.
| Therfore he thought that he wolde not fyne | |
| Playnely to worke to his conclusyon. |
2. To come to an end, fail, pass away, end. Also, to come to the end of one’s life, to die.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 22268 (Cott.). Sua sal cristen kingrik fine.
13[?]. E. E. Allit. P., A. 328. Schal I efte forgo hit er euer I fyne?
14[?]. Lydg., Temple of Glas, 372. In short tyme hir turment shuld[e] fyne.
c. 1500. Lancelot, 2081. This Is his mycht that neuer more shall fyne.
15[?]. Bk. Fair Gentlewom., in Laneham’s Let. (1871), Introd. 96. Here Fineth Lady Fortune.
3. trans. To bring to an end, complete, conclude, finish.
c. 1374. Chaucer, Troylus, IV. Proeme, 26.
| Thow cruel God eke, father of Qwyrine! | |
| This ferthe book me helpith for to fyne. |
1426. Political Poems (Rolls), II. 134.
| Alle oure trouble to enden and to fyne, | |
| By purveaunce which that is devyne. |
a. 1512. Fabyan, Chron. VII. 682.
| An ende of thys boke, or of thys rude warke | |
| Here is now fyned, whereof the sence precedyth. |
1593. Shaks., Lucr., 936.
| Times office is to fine the hate of foes, | |
| To eate up errours by opinion bred, | |
| Not spend the dowrie of a lawfull bed. |
b. To finish off (a part of a building).
1448. Will of Hen. VI., in Willis & Clark, Cambridge, I. 369. Euery boterace fined with finialx. Ibid. Smale tourettis over that, fined with pynacles.
Hence Fined ppl. a., Fining vbl. sb.
c. 1300. K. Alis., 8015. God geve alle good fynyng!
c. 1448. Avyse of Hen. VI., in Willis & Clark, Cambridge, I. 367. Fro the Crest unto the fynyng of the pynnacles.
1571. Fortescue, trans. Mexia’s Forest, 64 b. Consideryng what wee reade of their fined labours.
1596. Drayton, Legends, Robert, cxv. In fined things such meruails infinite.
