English word meaning 'in good health'. Believed to
originate from the French 'fin' which besides meaning finished also means complete or whole. It is from whole that we get the word 'hale' meaning healthy. Despite the attempts of speakers on motivational courses to suggest that it is an acronym standing for 'Fucked-up, Insecure,
Neurotic and Emotional' it is a valid word, with a considerable
pedigree, to be used as the answer to the question 'How are you?'
"You know that teambuilding course I went on,
silly bitch running asked me how I was, and when I said fine, looked down her nose at me and said' fine stands for Fed-up, Insecure, Emotional and Neurotic' and I should say good."
"What did you say?"
"I asked her if she was good and when she said yes looked down my nose at her and told her 'good stands for
Gormless, Overbearing,
Over opinionated, and Depressing' and she should say 'fine'. I got a round of applause and she didn't like that at all."
