in fine fettle en · ADP
Pronunciation
- /ɪn ˌfaɪn ˈfɛt(ə)l/ (General-American)
- /ɪn ˌfaɪn ˈfɛtl̩/ (Received-Pronunciation)
- (Southern-England) audio
- [-ɾ(ə)l] (General-American)
Etymology
From in + fine (“of superior quality”) + fettle (“state of physical condition”). 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)”) [and other forms], possibly from Old English fetel (“belt, girdle, fettle”), from Proto-Germanic *fatilaz; further etymology unknown.
Meanings
-
In good condition; energetic, fit.
I did not ask her age, and of course neither should you, but my grandma turned 102 this week and she's in fine fettle, so it's possible it will happen in my lifetime. But we digress.
2025 May 3, Katie Martin, “Investors shrink US exposure as America becomes a riskier bet”, in FT Weekend, London: The Financial Times Ltd., →ISSN, →OCLC, page 20:Tortoise: [Y]ou're looking in very fine fettle these days, I must say. Achilles: Thank you very much.
1979, Douglas Hofstadter, “Crab Canon”, in Gödel, Escher, Bach, →ISBN, page 199:
Synonyms
Translations (5)
es en plenas condiciones (in good condition — see also fit) · fr frais comme l'œil (in good condition — see also fit) · hu jó formában (in good condition — see also fit) · hu jó passzban (in good condition — see also fit) · mk во до́бра со́стојба (in good condition — see also fit)