As a generally laudatory or positive term (the precise gloss is highly contextual): (a) of a person: selected, chosen; of a time: appointed, set; (b) of a person, personal habits or customs: goodly, noble, excellent; also, skilled [1st quot.]; of demeanor: pleasant, pleasing, urbane; (c) of wine: excellent, choice; of soil: good, fertile; of a meadow: fair, pleasing in appearance; of a well or spring: producing good water; of a season: pleasant, mild; of garb or clothing: ?fine, of high quality; ?proper, suitable; (d) of wisdom or knowledge: expert, profound, deep; (e) of a structure, ship: ?stout, sturdy, well-built; ?large, great; of a chamber, tent, tomb: ?fine, well-appointed; (f) of an action, undertaking: noble, great; (g) with diminished semantic force as a vaguely laudatory term, apparently used chiefly for alliteration: fine, fair, good [some quots. difficult to distinguish from the previous senses].

As a term with generally intensifying or augmentative force (the precise gloss is highly contextual): (a) of a host, fighting force, foe: mighty, powerful; of a horse: strong; of a blow, sword stroke: hard, forceful, violent; (b) of strength: great; (c) of (someone’s) threat, sentiments: bold, fierce; (d) of an outcry: loud, noisy; of an injury: grave, serious; of sorrow: keen, great; of death: terrible, dreadful; also, lamentable, unhappy; (e) of waves, currents: boiling, heaving, surging; over (the) ~ stremes, over the surging sea.

In phrases: in (within) a ~ time, in a ~ while, in good time, in a short while, within a short time, quickly.

As surname.