take a fine

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "take a fine" is grammatically correct and can be used in written English.
It typically means to incur a penalty or pay a fee for breaking a rule or law. Example: If you park in that spot, you will have to take a fine.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

21 human-written examples

Vince at backward square leg sprinted in and, judging the situation well, dived forward to take a fine catch.

The Guardian - Sport

The daytime outfits — give or take a fine coat or a complex draped dress — just did not seem to encompass a modern women's world of work.

The New York Times

He decided to take a fine art degree at Hammersmith College of Art in west London, where there was a good department of printmaking.

The Guardian - Arts

People have told me that if you take a fine cru Beaujolais and age it for a decade, it begins to resemble a Burgundy.

The New York Times - Food

Indeed, it would take a fine balancing act of attracting and converting the right customers into U.S.-based direct-to-consumer buyers and ideally, wine club members ("subscribers") in order to generate the most sustainable business lines possible.

Stanford University

Du Preez c Greenway b Grundy 23 (South Africa 55-6) Du Preez thwacks the ball through midwicket only to see Greenway, running to her right, take a fine catch in the deep.

The Guardian - Sport

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

39 human-written examples

Classically roast with peas, it could take a finer wine such as a Gevrey-Chambertin.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

However, if we take a finer grained view, we notice that the substeps are actually executed sequentially.

EURASIP Journal on Embedded Systems

Right leadership is something that potential investors take a fine-toothed comb to before funding a company, but this where Haque rises to the challenge.

HuffPost

Take a fine-tooth comb and brush your hair until it is smooth and tangle-free.

WikiHow

Take a fine-tooth comb or eyebrow comb and comb the hair straight up, starting from the bridge of your nose and moving outward until you reach the arch of your eyebrow.

WikiHow

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "take a fine", ensure the context clearly indicates the reason for the fine and the responsible party. For instance, "Drivers who exceed the speed limit will have to "take a fine"".

Common error

Avoid using "take a fine" when you mean to say someone will receive or be assessed a fine. "Take a fine" implies acceptance or willingness, which isn't always the case. Prefer using "be fined" or "incur a fine" for better clarity.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "take a fine" functions as a verbal phrase, indicating the action of accepting and potentially paying a penalty. As Ludwig AI suggests, it's grammatically correct and implies an acceptance of the fine.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

67%

Wiki

33%

Academia

0%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "take a fine" is grammatically correct but relatively rare, referring to the act of accepting and paying a financial penalty. While Ludwig AI confirms its correctness, it's important to note that more common alternatives like "be fined" or "incur a fine" might provide better clarity in certain contexts. Predominantly found in News & Media and Wiki sources, understanding its nuances can help writers choose the most appropriate phrasing for their intended meaning. Remember to use it when acceptance or willingness is implied, otherwise, consider alternative expressions.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

be fined

Uses a passive voice to emphasize the state of being penalized.

incur a fine

Emphasizes the action that leads to the fine.

face a fine

Emphasizes the potential or impending nature of the fine.

be assessed a fine

Emphasizes the official action of imposing the fine.

receive a penalty

Focuses on the action of receiving the penalty rather than the act of paying.

suffer a penalty

Highlights the negative consequences of receiving a fine.

accept a fine

Implies a willingness to receive the fine, rather than necessarily paying it.

pay a penalty

Highlights the act of payment involved in settling the fine.

be penalized

Focuses on the act of being punished rather than the specific financial penalty.

get a ticket

A more informal way to refer to receiving a fine, often in the context of traffic violations.

FAQs

What does "take a fine" mean?

"Take a fine" generally means to accept and pay a financial penalty for violating a rule or law.

How can I use "take a fine" in a sentence?

You can use "take a fine" in sentences like, "If you park illegally, you'll have to "take a fine"" or "He chose to "take a fine" rather than contest the parking violation".

What is a more formal alternative to "take a fine"?

More formal alternatives include "be fined", "incur a fine", or "be assessed a fine".

Is it correct to say "take a fine"?

Yes, it's grammatically correct and understandable, though it might be more common to say someone will "receive a fine" or "be required to pay a fine" depending on the context.