define, v.
(dɪˈfaɪn)
Forms: 4 deffine, 4–6 diff-, defyne, 5 deffyne, 5–6 diffine, dyffyne, 5– define.
[ME., a. Anglo-F. and OF. define-r to end, terminate, determine = Pr. definar; a Romanic parallel form to L. dēfīnīre to end, terminate, bound (f. de- I. 3 + fīnīre to end, finish), whence It. definire, Sp. definir, Pr. and OF. defenir, definir. Definer, the common form in OF., is the only form given by Cotgr. 1611, and survives in Picard, but has been superseded in F. by définir, with adoption of the transferred senses of L. dēfīnīre. In mod. English also define is in sense the representative of L. dēfīnīre. A parallel form diffīnīre, with dis- (see de- I. 6) is also found in Latin texts, and the forms diffiner, desfinir, diffinir (14–17th c.) in F.; thence the Eng. variants in deff-, diff-, dyff-.]
† 1. a. trans. To bring to an end. Also intr. To come to an end. Obs. rare.
| c 1384 Chaucer H. Fame 344 For though your loue laste a seson Wayte vpon the conclusyon, And eke how that ye determynen And for the more part diffynen. 1466 Mann. & Househ. Exp. 370 My mastyr gaff to Gorney the excheatour, to deffyne an offyse afftyr Water Gorges dethe, xx. s. 1494 Fabyan Chron. 5 The fourth [part] endyth than at Constantyne: The fyft at Cadwaladyr I haue also diffyned. 1562 Pyramus & Th., (Alas my loue) and liue ye yet, did not your life define By Lyones rage? |
† b. To bring to an end (a controversy, etc.); to determine, decide, settle. Obs.
| 1538 Starkey England ii. iii. 199 And as for al othir controversys, I wold they schuld be defynyd at home. 1596 Spenser F.Q. iv. iii. 3 These warlike Champions..Assembled were in field the chalenge to define. 1611 Speed Theat. Gt. Brit. ii. (1614) 4/1 What could not there be defined, was referred to the whole Shire. a 1677 Barrow Pope's Suprem. (1687) 148 A more ready way to define Controversies. |
2. a. To determine the boundary or spatial extent of; to settle the limits of. Also fig.
| c 1400 Mandeville (1839) xxxi. 315 Gowtes, Artetykes, that me distreynen, tho diffynen the end of my labour aȝenst my wille. 1843 Prescott Mexico I. 16 The limits already noticed as defining its permanent territory. 1861 M. Pattison Ess. (1889) I. 47 The duties of the guild towards the country and city..were strictly defined. 1874 Green Short Hist. iv. §2. 164 His first step was to define the provinces of the civil and ecclesiastical jurisdictions. |
b. To make definite in outline or form. Also refl. (See also defined.)
| 1815 Wordsw. Essay Wks. (1888) 873/1 In nature everything is distinct, yet nothing defined into absolute independent singleness. 1859 Geo. Eliot Lifted Veil ii, I..saw the light floating vanities of the girl defining themselves into the systematic coquetry, the scheming selfishness, of the woman. 1869 Tyndall Notes Lect. Light §174 For perfectly distinct vision it is necessary that the image on the retina should be perfectly defined. 1888 Mrs. H. Ward R. Elsmere xv, The slender figure suddenly defined itself against the road. Ibid. xxxii, The difficulties began to define themselves more sharply. Ibid. xliii, The half-coherent enigmatical sentences..began gradually to define themselves. |
† 3. To set bounds to, to limit, restrict, confine.
| 1513 Douglas æneis iv. ii. 30 Quhilkis na way diffynis The force nor strength of luif with his hard bandis! 1624 N. De Lawne tr. Du Moulin's Logick 27 God is..so present in all places, as he is neither limited, nor defined by any place. 1643 Sir T. Browne Relig. Med. i. §27 Wee doe too narrowly define the power of God, restraining it to our capacities. |
4. a. To determine, lay down definitely; to fix, decide; † to decide upon, fix upon.
| 1535 Stewart Cron. Scot. II. 120 All the lordis for that samin thing, And commoun pepill..did defyne The kingis bruther, callit Constantyne. 1647 Clarendon Hist. Reb. ii. (1843) 43/1 The first canon defined and determined such an unlimited power and prerogative to be in the king. 1790 Gibbon Misc. Wks. (1814) III. 510 The situation, the measure and the value of the estate cannot now be exactly defined. a 1794 Ibid. I. 158 Two or three years were loosely defined for the term of my absence. 1867 E. Quincy Life J. Quincy 280 He ‘defined his position’, to use a later political formula, very clearly. |
† b. intr. To determine, decide. Obs.
| c 1374 Chaucer Troylus iv. 362 Forthi I thus defyne:—Ne truste no wight to fynden in Fortune Aye properte; her yiftes ben commune. 1402 Hoccleve Letter of Cupid 463 Than wol we thus concluden and dyffyne: we yow comaunde..that, of thise false men our reble foon, ye do punyshment. 1568 Grafton Chron. II. 351 Authoritie to enquire, intreate, defyne and determine of all maner of causes, querels, debtes. 1582 Munday Disc. E. Campion C b, Neither was that barre appointed to define on causes of conscience. 1612 Bacon Ess. Judicature (Arb.) 450 The vniust Iudge..when hee defineth amisse of lands and property. |
† 5. a. To state precisely or determinately; to specify. (Const. with obj. clause or simple obj.) Obs.
| c 1374 Chaucer Troylus iii. 834 Wherfore I wol deffyne..That trewely for ought I kan espie Ther is no verray wele is þis world here. 1561 J. Daus tr. Bullinger on Apoc. (1573) 166 b, The day of iudgement can no man diffine. 1563 W. Fulke Meteors (1640) 46 Cardan plainly defineth, that Amber is a mineral. 1669 Boyle Cont. New Exper. i. (1682) 80 Even clouds..may reach much higher than Carden, Kepler, and others have defin'd. |
† b. intr. or absol. To make precise statement.
| c 1380 Wyclif Serm. xciii. Sel. Wks. I. 330 Men shulden not here diffyne, but ȝif God tolde it hem. c 1430 Lydg. Bochas i. ix. (1544) 17 a, Of her byrth fyrst he doth defyne. 1570 Act 13 Eliz. c. 7 §2 Persons being Bankrupt as is before defined. 1600 Hakluyt Voy. iii. 54 (R.) How then can such men define upon other regions..whether they were inhabited or not. |
6. a. To state exactly what (a thing) is; to set forth or explain the essential nature of. (In early use: To state the nature or properties of, to describe.)
| c 1374 Chaucer Troylus v. 271 Swych a wo my wit kan not defyne. 1413 Lydg. Pilgr. Sowle v. i. (1859) 72 The beaute of this mansion ne maye no man telle, ne diffyne the ioye, and the grete arraye. 1484 Caxton Curiall 5 That thou mayst the better knowe now the courte I wyl descryue and dyffyne it to the. 1526 Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 67 b, What it is, Saynt Bernarde declareth..diffynynge or discribynge it in this wyse. 1555 Eden Decades Pref. (Arb.) 49 Cicero defineth trewe glory to bee a fame of many and greate desertes. 1677 Gale Crt. of Gentiles iv. 292 He that perfectly comprehends and defines a thing gives limits and bounds to that thing in his intellect. 1710 Addison Whig Exam. No. 4 ¶1 Hudibras has defined nonsense (as Cowley does wit) by negatives. 1777 Priestley Matt. & Spir. (1782) I. xx. 257 Descartes defined the essence of the soul to consist in thinking. 1846 Mill Logic Introd. §1 To define, is to select from among all the properties of a thing, those which shall be understood to be designated and declared by its name. 1875 Jowett Plato (ed. 2) III. 184 Genius has been defined as ‘the power of taking pains’. |
b. To set forth or explain what (a word or expression) means; to declare the signification of (a word). [Not recognized by J.]
| 1532 More Confut. Tindale Wks. 608/2 All hys other sygnificacions I lette passe..except onely that which he hath also diffyned false. 1551 T. Wilson Logike (1580) 14 Therefore ye muste needes have these Predicamentes ready, when soever ye will define any worde, or give a naturall name unto it. 1724 Watts Logic i. vi. §2 In defining the name there is no need that we should be acquainted with the intimate nature or essence of the thing. 1791 Boswell Johnson an. 1755 (1887) I. 293 A lady once asked him how he came to define Pastern ‘the knee of a horse’. 1885 Davidson Logic of Definition 86 Horse cannot be otherwise defined in a dictionary than as a well-known quadruped, used as a beast of burden and in war. |
c. intr. or absol. To frame or give a precise description or definition.
| 1587 Turberv. Trag. T. (1837) 200 For that of love so derely he definde. 1645 Milton Tetrach. (1851) 168 Then only we know certainly, when we can define. 1756 Burke Subl. & B. Introd. Wks. I. 97 When we define we seem in danger of circumscribing nature within the bounds of our own notions. 1863 Ouida Held in Bondage (1870) 81 Hang it, Arthur, why do you set me defining? |
7. transf. Of properties: To make (a thing) what it is; to give a character to, characterize; to constitute the definition of.
| 1633 G. Herbert Temple, Invitation ii, Come ye hither all, whom wine Doth define, Naming you not to your good. 1648 Milton Tenure Kings (1650) 55 Being lawfully depriv'd of all things that define a magistrate. 1875 Bennett & Dyer Sachs's Bot. i. iii. 180 The tout ensemble of properties which define the character of the natural group, class, or order. |
8. To separate by definition, to distinguish by special marks or characteristics (from). rare.
| 1807–8 W. Irving Salmag. xii. (1860) 280 By this is defin'd The fop from the man of refinement and mind. 1839 Murchison Silur. Syst. i. xxxiv. 456 It is difficult to define the subsoil of Silurian rock from that of the Old Red Sandstone. |