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This brings to mind "redundant", which is in a class with "disgruntled" -- I don't recall ever seeing a dundant expression.
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byb, you are so couth and kempt.
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This brings to mind "redundant", which is in a class with "disgruntled" -- I don't recall ever seeing a dundant expression.
wrong class, bob. while there certainly is a 'gruntle' (to utter a little or low grunt), there is no dundant because the L. root redundare was formed from re(d)- + undare, to surge (the re- means back).
[btw, disgruntle uses dis- as an intensifier]
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there is no dundant because the L. root redundare was formed from re(d)- + undare, to surge (the re- means back).
so (amending byb's point), is there an "undant"?
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>Is the use archaic?
hmm... I suppose, a bit.
1871 Browning "Fined and thrice refined I' the crucible of life."
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[btw, disgruntle uses dis- as an intensifier]
Thus, dis- serves to intensify in some cases, and to negative in others -- diametrically opposite functions.
I find that very intriguing. tsuwm, any notion how that evolved?
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With verbs having already a sense of division, solution, separation, or undoing, the addition of dis- was naturally intensive, ‘away, out and out, utterly, exceedingly’, as in disperire to perish utterly, dispudere to be utterly ashamed, distædere to be utterly wearied or disgusted; hence it became an intensive in some other verbs, as dilaudare to praise exceedingly, discupere to desire vehemently, dissuaviri to kiss ardently. In the same way, English has several verbs in which dis- adds intensity to words having already a sense of undoing, as in disalter, disaltern, disannul.
and so, words with an already negative sense, as disgruntle, disabuse [not in the usual sense, but Scot., to mar, spoil, misuse.]
{and that makes disabuse one of those enantiodromic words}
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>Is the use archaic?
hmm... I suppose, a bit
I would say no. Fine gold, for example, is understood as (re)fined metal. Also, fine(s) as a description of particulate material is quite common in the building trade about aggregates - if you specified "crusher run including fines" it would be all-in ballast from sand upwards, contrasting to say a grade of crushed rock like "½-inch to 3-inch".
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...but we're having to do, specifically, with the verb fine in this sense, mav. the Browning quote is the *latest citation in OED2. refine seems to have been deemed the... more perfect word. 
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....between verbs and nouns, and all! huh! 
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