refinedre‧fined /rɪˈfaɪnd/ AWL adjective 
Examples
a refined way of speaking3a method or process that is refined has been improved to make it more effective → sophisticated: Laser surgery has become much more refined over the last decade.
ExamplesEXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
word sets- refined beet sugar
- refined oil
- a refined audience of music-lovers
- a refined method of measurement
- The food could be described as healthy, rather than refined.
- A diet too high in refined sugar and fat will predispose to either obesity or shortage of nutrients, including minerals.
- A mature scholarship to Oxford followed, where he acquired more refined snobberies than those afforded by the community of insurance clerks.
- And you can feel this on the road, enjoying a smooth and refined engine.
- Even when refined sugar is combined with refined flour to make cakes or desserts, the chewing required tends to be minimal.
- From the sunlit atrium with its glass elevator to the tasteful rooms and thoughtful service, this hotel shines with refined comfort.
- I don't think I've ever come across anything quite so refined as Lil.
- People tell me that she looks like me: elegant while concealing an active disposition behind a refined behaviour.
WORD SETS► Industry
Collocationsaggregate, nounalloy, nounamber, nounanneal, verbarc welding, nounasbestos, nounassay, verbautomaker, nounaviation, nounBakelite, nounbasketry, nounbenzene, nounbevel, nounbiodegradable, adjectiveblast, verbblast furnace, nounboom, nounboom town, nounbore, verbbore, nounborehole, nounby-product, nouncane, nouncast, verbcasting, nouncedar, nounchipboard, nounchippings, nouncoalface, nouncollier, nouncolliery, nounconcentrate, nouncondenser, nounconstruction, nounconstructor, nounconverter, nouncork, nouncottage industry, nouncross-grained, adjectivecrude, adjectivedeskill, verbdetonate, verbdetonator, noundetoxification, noundevelopment, noundie, noundie casting, noundiesel, noundiesel fuel, noundiggings, noundrill, verbdrive, verbelectronics, nounend product, nounepoxy resin, nounextrude, verbfabricate, verbfabrication, nounforge, nounfound, verbfoundry, nounglass fibre, noungoldmine, nounground glass, nounhigh technology, nounindustrial, adjectiveindustrial archaeology, nounindustrialism, nounindustrialist, nounindustrialization, nouningot, nouninstallation, nounjute, nounlaminate, nounlaminated, adjectivelaser, nounlatex, nounlight industry, nounlime, nounlode, nounlow-tech, adjectivelubricant, nounlubricate, verbmacadam, nounmacerate, verbmachine, verbmachine tool, nounmachinist, nounmaker, nounmanganese, nounmanufacture, verbmanufacture, nounmasonry, nounmaterial, nounmatrix, nounmeat-packing, nounmetal, nounmetal fatigue, nounmetallic, adjectivemetallurgy, nounmetalwork, nounmill, verbmine, nounmine, verbminer, nounmining, nounmodular, adjectivemodule, nounmolten, adjectivemolybdenum, nounmortise, nounmother lode, nounmould, verbmoulding, nounochre, nounoff-cut, nounoil, nounoil paint, nounopencast, adjectiveoxyacetylene, nounpackaging, nounpaint stripper, nounpaintwork, nounpaling, nounpallet, nounpan, nounpanelling, nounpanel pin, nounpaper, adjectivepapier mâché, nounpatent leather, nounperfumery, nounpit, nounpitch, nounpithead, nounplane, verbplant, nounplywood, nounpost-industrial, adjectiveprocess, nounproduce, verbproduct, nounproduction, nounproductivity, nounpulp, verbpump, verbPVC, nounquarry, nounquartz, nounready-made, adjectiverefine, verbrefined, adjectivereprocess, verbroller, nounrough-hewn, adjectiverubber, nounsafety lamp, nounsandblast, verbsealskin, nounshaft, nounshavings, nounsheeting, nounsheet metal, nounshipbuilder, nounskilled, adjectiveslag, nounslag heap, nounsludge, nounslurry, nounsmelt, verbsmith, nounsmithy, nounsmokestack, nounsmokestack industry, nounsoftwood, nounsolder, nounsolder, verbsoldering iron, nounspirit level, nounspray paint, nounsteam, nounsteel, nounstrip mine, nounStyrofoam, nounsunrise industry, nounsynthesis, nounsynthesize, verbtannery, nountemper, verbtensile strength, nountextile, nounthree-ply, adjectiveunrefined, adjectiveunvarnished, adjectiveupright, nounvarnish, nounvat, nounvinyl, nounvulcanize, verbwarehouse, nounwattle, nounwax, nounwaxen, adjectivewaxy, adjectiveweld, verbweld, nounwelder, nounwickerwork, nounwire, nounwood, nounwood pulp, nounwork, verbworking, nounworkshop, nounwrought iron, nounyarn, noun
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY► refined sugar/oil/petroleumCOLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES► refined oil
Word family (=oil that has been treated by an industrial process)· They had exported refined oil.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADVERB► more· As they were demolished, more refined and juster modes of recruitment, selection and assessment had to be developed.· A bit more cultured, a bit more refined, a bit more genteel.· A more refined technique called Cyclocontrol replaced this system in the early 1970s.· The outcome of the research should be a more refined version of discourse comprehension and an evaluation of connectionist models as implementations.· It was not so different from the modern, much more refined auto-landing system we take for granted today.· A mature scholarship to Oxford followed, where he acquired more refined snobberies than those afforded by the community of insurance clerks.· Project Merit Number A slightly more refined method of handling the data is shown in Table 4.2.· It is safer, greener, more comfortable and more refined.
► most· Put bluntly, the Lexus has the smoothest and most refined drivetrain in existence.· But by far the most refined technique for the interpretation of aggradation deposits is that of pollen analysis.
NOUN► carbohydrate· Eating refined carbohydrates such as those above can raise the blood cholesterol level, and is a possible cause of heart disease.· The refined carbohydrates - white flour, rice and pasta - should be replaced by wholemeal versions.· For the non-obese patients, simply reducing the intake of refined carbohydrate may control the diabetes for a time at least.
► sugar· Animal fats and refined sugar contribute to a weight problem and can be a factor in heart and arterial disease.· As for refined sugar - cut it out, as much as you can.· Excessive quantities of dairy products, refined sugars and raw foods would be best avoided, with the emphasis on excessive.· Read the labels on the foods you buy and you will be surprised at the number of hidden sources of refined sugar.· A diet too high in refined sugar and fat will predispose to either obesity or shortage of nutrients, including minerals.· The thing to avoid or at least cut down on is refined sugar and the products that contain it.· Even when refined sugar is combined with refined flour to make cakes or desserts, the chewing required tends to be minimal.· Problems occasionally arise when individuals consume a great deal of refined sugar, because this is fuel food that has no B vitamins at all.
WORD FAMILYnounrefinementrefineryadjectiverefined ≠ unrefinedverbrefine
1[usually before noun] a substance that is refined has been made pure by an industrial process → raw, crude OPP unrefinedrefined sugar/oil/petroleum2someone who is refined is polite and seems to be well-educated or to belong to a high social class – sometimes used humorously: a refined way of speaking3a method or process that is refined has been improved to make it more effective → sophisticated: Laser surgery has become much more refined over the last decade.