DEFINE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does define mean? 

• DEFINE (verb)
  The verb DEFINE has 5 senses:

1. determine the essential quality of

2. give a definition for the meaning of a word

3. determine the nature of

4. show the form or outline of

5. decide upon or fix definitely

  Familiarity information: DEFINE used as a verb is common.

 Dictionary entry details 

• DEFINE (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they define    ... he / she / it defines   
Past simple: defined   
Past participle: defined   
-ing form: defining   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Determine the essential quality of

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Synonyms:

define; delimit; delimitate; delineate; specify

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

be (have the quality of being; (copula, used with an adjective or a predicate noun))

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

determine (fix in scope; fix the boundaries of)

redefine (give a new or different definition to)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s something

Sense 2

Meaning:

Give a definition for the meaning of a word

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Context example:

Define 'sadness'

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

define; determine; fix; limit; set; specify (decide upon or fix definitely)

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

redefine (give a new or different definition of (a word))

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Derivation:

definition (a concise explanation of the meaning of a word or phrase or symbol)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Determine the nature of

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Context example:

What defines a good wine?

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

characterise; characterize (be characteristic of)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something

Sense 4

Meaning:

Show the form or outline of

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Synonyms:

define; delineate

Context example:

The camera could define the smallest object

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

show (make visible or noticeable)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s something

Derivation:

defining (any process serving to define the shape of something)

definition (clarity of outline)

Sense 5

Meaning:

Decide upon or fix definitely

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

define; determine; fix; limit; set; specify

Context example:

specify the parameters

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

choose; pick out; select; take (pick out, select, or choose from a number of alternatives)

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

quantify (use as a quantifier)

name (mention and identify by name)

reset (set anew)

define (give a definition for the meaning of a word)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

 Context examples 

A cancer stage defined according to the AJCC 7th edition criteria.

(AJCC v7 Stage, NCI Thesaurus)

A cancer stage defined according to the AJCC 6th edition criteria.

(AJCC v6 Stage, NCI Thesaurus)

One or more sponsor defined characters used to identify, name, or characterize the adverse event.

(Adverse Event Sponsor Defined Identifier, NCI Thesaurus)

Sponsors should define the reference period in the study metadata.

(Adverse Event End Relative To Reference Code, NCI Thesaurus/BRIDG)

A defined procedure for solving a problem.

(Algorithm, NCI Thesaurus)

Some members of the subgroup of the human CXC-Chemokines are defined by the conserved ELR sequence motif (glutamic acid-leucine-arginine) immediately preceding the first cysteine residue near the amino-terminal end.

(Alpha Chemokine, NCI Thesaurus)

Bone marrow failure defined as pancytopenia, secondary to hepatitis.

(Aplastic Anemia due to Hepatitis, NCI Thesaurus)

A measure of an antigen potency defined as a number of antigen units per one milliliter of product.

(Antigen Unit per Milliliter, NCI Thesaurus)

Disease confined to one nodal group or location defines stage I. Disease limited to one side of the diaphragm, (the muscle separating the chest from the abdomen), defines stage II.

(Ann Arbor Lymphoma Staging System, NCI Thesaurus)

Such facility as herein defined does not include the offices of private physicians or dentists whether practicing individually or in groups.

(Ambulatory Surgical Facility, NCI Thesaurus)