What does “Feinschliff” mean in German?

Feinschliff is the final polish — the last careful pass that takes something from finished to just-right. Literally it’s fein (“fine”) plus Schliff, the “grind” or “cut” from schleifen (“to grind, sand, polish”). It started at the workbench, where a craftsman’s finishing pass smoothed away the last rough edges, and became the everyday metaphor for putting the finishing touches on any kind of work.

You’ll hear der letzte Feinschliff — “the final polish” — for anything from a speech to a haircut to a business plan. In the clip someone offers to give a just-cleaned surface den Feinschliff — one more going-over. Related: Schliff on its own can also mean polish in the social sense — poise, refinement, good manners.