in fine fettle

Hello, you have come here looking for the meaning of the word in fine fettle. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word in fine fettle, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say in fine fettle in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word in fine fettle you have here. The definition of the word in fine fettle will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition ofin fine fettle, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.

English

WOTD – 30 June 2023

Etymology

From in + fine (“of superior quality”) + fettle (“state of physical condition”).[1] Fettle is derived from Late Middle English fetlen (“(verb) to bestow; to fix, prepare, put in place; to prepare (oneself) for battle, gird up; to shape; to be about to, or to ready (oneself), to stay; (adjective) shaped (well or poorly)”) ,[2] possibly from Old English fetel (“belt, girdle, fettle”),[3] from Proto-Germanic *fatilaz; further etymology unknown.

Pronunciation

Prepositional phrase

in fine fettle

  1. In good condition; energetic, fit.
    Synonym: fit as a fiddle

Usage notes

Also used with other words in place of fine, such as in good fettle and in high fettle.

Translations

References

  1. ^ Compare “(to be) in (good, high, etc.) fettle” under “fettle, n.2”, in OED Online Paid subscription required⁠, Oxford: Oxford University Press, March 2023; “fettle, n.”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.
  2. ^ “fetlen, v.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.
  3. ^ “fettle, v.”, in OED Online Paid subscription required⁠, Oxford: Oxford University Press, March 2023; “fettle, v.”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.

Further reading

Wikious
Boobota
Sagapedia