MODERATOR NOTE: Two similar threads have been merged below. ----------. I'm not sure I understood correctly the meaning of finesse as a verb. According to the Merriam-Webster http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/finesse it means: 1- to bring about, direct, or manage by adroit maneuvering. finesse his way through tight places = rÃ©ussir Ã  manoeuvrer dans des lieux Ã©troits.