DECLARE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does declare mean? 

• DECLARE (verb)
  The verb DECLARE has 8 senses:

1. state emphatically and authoritatively

2. announce publicly or officially

3. state firmly

4. declare to be

5. authorize payments of

6. designate (a trump suit or no-trump) with the final bid of a hand

7. make a declaration (of dutiable goods) to a customs official

8. proclaim one's support, sympathy, or opinion for or against

  Familiarity information: DECLARE used as a verb is common.

 Dictionary entry details 

• DECLARE (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they declare    ... he / she / it declares   
Past simple: declared   
Past participle: declared   
-ing form: declaring   

Sense 1

Meaning:

State emphatically and authoritatively

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Context example:

He declared that he needed more money to carry out the task he was charged with

Hypernyms (to "declare" is one way to...):

say; state; tell (express in words)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "declare"):

count out (declare the loser)

animadvert; opine; sound off; speak out; speak up (express one's opinion openly and without fear or hesitation)

decree (issue a decree)

attest; bear witness; take the stand; testify (give testimony in a court of law)

depone; depose; swear (make a deposition; declare under oath)

affirm; assert; aver; avow; swan; swear; verify (to declare or affirm solemnly and formally as true)

profess (state freely)

exclaim; proclaim; promulgate (state or announce)

condemn; doom; sentence (pronounce a sentence on (somebody) in a court of law)

take the Fifth; take the Fifth Amendment (refuse to testify by invoking the Fifth Amendment, which states that nobody may be forced to testify as a witness against himself or herself)

promise (promise to undertake or give)

assure; promise (make a promise or commitment)

advise; propose; suggest (make a proposal, declare a plan for something)

account; answer for (furnish a justifying analysis or explanation)

bless; consecrate; hallow; sanctify (render holy by means of religious rites)

condemn (declare or judge unfit for use or habitation)

profess (confess one's faith in, or allegiance to)

plead (enter a plea, as in courts of law)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s that CLAUSE

Derivation:

declaration (a statement that is emphatic and explicit (spoken or written))

declarative; declaratory (relating to the use of or having the nature of a declaration)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Announce publicly or officially

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

announce; declare

Context example:

The President declared war

Hypernyms (to "declare" is one way to...):

say; state; tell (express in words)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "declare"):

promulgate (put a law into effect by formal declaration)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sentence example:

They declare that there was a traffic accident

Derivation:

declaration (a formal public statement)

declarative (relating to the use of or having the nature of a declaration)

Sense 3

Meaning:

State firmly

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Context example:

He declared that he was innocent

Hypernyms (to "declare" is one way to...):

affirm; assert; aver; avow; swan; swear; verify (to declare or affirm solemnly and formally as true)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s that CLAUSE

Derivation:

declarative; declaratory (relating to the use of or having the nature of a declaration)

declarer (someone who claims to speak the truth)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Declare to be

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

adjudge; declare; hold

Context example:

judge held that the defendant was innocent

Hypernyms (to "declare" is one way to...):

evaluate; judge; pass judgment (form a critical opinion of)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "declare"):

superannuate (declare to be obsolete)

bastardise; bastardize (declare a child to be illegitimate)

certify (declare legally insane)

call (declare in the capacity of an umpire or referee)

beatify (declare (a dead person) to be blessed; the first step of achieving sainthood)

canonise; canonize; saint (declare (a dead person) to be a saint)

judge; label; pronounce (pronounce judgment on)

cancel; strike down (declare null and void; make ineffective)

formalise; formalize (make formal or official)

acknowledge; admit (declare to be true or admit the existence or reality or truth of)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s something Adjective/Noun
Somebody ----s somebody something

Derivation:

declarative (relating to the use of or having the nature of a declaration)

Sense 5

Meaning:

Authorize payments of

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Context example:

declare dividends

Hypernyms (to "declare" is one way to...):

authorise; authorize; clear; pass (grant authorization or clearance for)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 6

Meaning:

Designate (a trump suit or no-trump) with the final bid of a hand

Classified under:

Verbs of buying, selling, owning

Hypernyms (to "declare" is one way to...):

play (put (a card or piece) into play during a game, or act strategically as if in a card game)

Domain category:

bridge (any of various card games based on whist for four players)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

declaration ((contract bridge) the highest bid becomes the contract setting the number of tricks that the bidder must make)

declarer (the bridge player in contract bridge who wins the bidding and can declare which suit is to be trumps)

Sense 7

Meaning:

Make a declaration (of dutiable goods) to a customs official

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Context example:

Do you have anything to declare?

Hypernyms (to "declare" is one way to...):

say; state; tell (express in words)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

declaration (a statement of taxable goods or of dutiable properties)

Sense 8

Meaning:

Proclaim one's support, sympathy, or opinion for or against

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Context example:

His wife declared at once for moving to the West Coast

Hypernyms (to "declare" is one way to...):

exclaim; proclaim; promulgate (state or announce)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

 Context examples 

I meet them wherever I go; and I declare, I never go twice into my nursery without seeing something of them.

(Persuasion, by Jane Austen)

"Oh, no," declared the Scarecrow; "this Lion is a coward."

(The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, by L. Frank Baum)

He steadily refused to accompany his father into Herefordshire, an engagement formed almost at the moment to promote the dismissal of Catherine, and as steadily declared his intention of offering her his hand.

(Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen)

By the time this month is over, you will be declaring that February was one of the best you’ve seen in a very long while.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

Several others declared their sentiments to the same purpose, when my master proposed an expedient to the assembly, whereof he had indeed borrowed the hint from me.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)

By that right I do and will deserve you; and when once convinced that my attachment is what I declare it, I know you too well not to entertain the warmest hopes.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

The parson went to the crowd, and declared that the mass had been said.

(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)

He heard her declare that she had never loved him.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

On a beautiful fall day, a day of similar Indian summer to that which had seen their love declared the year before, Martin read his "Love-cycle" to Ruth.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

“Even the girls are happy. Dear me, I declare I forgot them!”

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)