Library / English Dictionary

CIVILIZE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Raise from a barbaric to a civilized state

Example:

The wild child found wandering in the forest was gradually civilized

Synonyms:

civilise; civilize

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

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

alter; change; modify (cause to change; make different; cause a transformation)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody

Derivation:

civilization (a society in an advanced state of social development (e.g., with complex legal and political and religious organizations))

Sense 2

Meaning:

Teach or refine to be discriminative in taste or judgment

Example:

She is well schooled in poetry

Synonyms:

civilise; civilize; cultivate; educate; school; train

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

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

down; fine-tune; polish; refine (improve or perfect by pruning or polishing)

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

sophisticate (make less natural or innocent)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Derivation:

civilization (the quality of excellence in thought and manners and taste)

Credits

 Context examples: 

In the civilized countries I believe there are no witches left, nor wizards, nor sorceresses, nor magicians.

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

It was a token that he was harking back through his own life to the lives of his forebears; for he was a civilized dog, an unduly civilized dog, and of his own experience knew no trap and so could not of himself fear it.

(The Call of the Wild, by Jack London)

It was a dark and evil-appearing thing, that hut, not fit for aught better than swine in a civilized land; but for us, who had known the misery of the open boat, it was a snug little habitation.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

But, instead of proposals for conquering that magnanimous nation, I rather wish they were in a capacity, or disposition, to send a sufficient number of their inhabitants for civilizing Europe, by teaching us the first principles of honour, justice, truth, temperance, public spirit, fortitude, chastity, friendship, benevolence, and fidelity.

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

He remembered it was at this table, at which he now sneered and was so often bored, that he had first eaten with civilized beings in what he had imagined was an atmosphere of high culture and refinement.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

But, you see, the Land of Oz has never been civilized, for we are cut off from all the rest of the world.

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

But in spite of this great love he bore John Thornton, which seemed to bespeak the soft civilizing influence, the strain of the primitive, which the Northland had aroused in him, remained alive and active.

(The Call of the Wild, by Jack London)

He added, how I had endeavoured to persuade him, that in my own and other countries, the Yahoos acted as the governing, rational animal, and held the Houyhnhnms in servitude; that he observed in me all the qualities of a Yahoo, only a little more civilized by some tincture of reason, which, however, was in a degree as far inferior to the Houyhnhnm race, as the Yahoos of their country were to me; that, among other things, I mentioned a custom we had of castrating Houyhnhnms when they were young, in order to render them tame; that the operation was easy and safe; that it was no shame to learn wisdom from brutes, as industry is taught by the ant, and building by the swallow (for so I translate the word lyhannh, although it be a much larger fowl); that this invention might be practised upon the younger Yahoos here, which besides rendering them tractable and fitter for use, would in an age put an end to the whole species, without destroying life; that in the mean time the Houyhnhnms should be exhorted to cultivate the breed of asses, which, as they are in all respects more valuable brutes, so they have this advantage, to be fit for service at five years old, which the others are not till twelve.

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

When I thought of my family, my friends, my countrymen, or the human race in general, I considered them, as they really were, Yahoos in shape and disposition, perhaps a little more civilized, and qualified with the gift of speech; but making no other use of reason, than to improve and multiply those vices whereof their brethren in this country had only the share that nature allotted them.

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

Add to this, the pleasure of seeing the various revolutions of states and empires; the changes in the lower and upper world; ancient cities in ruins, and obscure villages become the seats of kings; famous rivers lessening into shallow brooks; the ocean leaving one coast dry, and overwhelming another; the discovery of many countries yet unknown; barbarity overrunning the politest nations, and the most barbarous become civilized.

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