Library / English Dictionary

DECIDE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Reach, make, or come to a decision about something

Example:

We finally decided after lengthy deliberations

Synonyms:

decide; determine; make up one's mind

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

"Decide" entails doing...:

debate; deliberate (discuss the pros and cons of an issue)

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

measure; measure out; mensurate (determine the measurements of something or somebody, take measurements of)

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

will (determine by choice)

seal (decide irrevocably)

purpose; resolve (reach a decision)

decree; rule (decide with authority)

orient; orientate (determine one's position with reference to another point)

adjudicate; judge; try (put on trial or hear a case and sit as the judge at the trial of)

govern; order; regularise; regularize; regulate (bring into conformity with rules or principles or usage; impose regulations)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s that CLAUSE
Somebody ----s whether INFINITIVE

Sentence example:

They decide to move

Derivation:

deciding (the cognitive process of reaching a decision)

decision (the act of making up your mind about something)

decisive (characterized by decision and firmness)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Bring to an end; settle conclusively

Example:

The father adjudicated when the sons were quarreling over their inheritance

Synonyms:

adjudicate; decide; resolve; settle

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

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

end; terminate (bring to an end or halt)

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

judge (determine the result of (a competition))

adjust (decide how much is to be paid on an insurance claim)

Sentence frames:

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

Derivation:

deciding (the cognitive process of reaching a decision)

decisive (characterized by decision and firmness)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Cause to decide

Example:

This new development finally decided me!

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

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

cause; get; have; induce; make; stimulate (cause to do; cause to act in a specified manner)

Cause:

decide; determine; make up one's mind (reach, make, or come to a decision about something)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s somebody

Sense 4

Meaning:

Influence or determine

Example:

The vote in New Hampshire often decides the outcome of the Presidential election

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

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

determine; influence; mold; regulate; shape (shape or influence; give direction to)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s something

Derivation:

decisive (determining or having the power to determine an outcome)

Credits

 Context examples: 

His sisters were fine women, with an air of decided fashion.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

He watched them eating, and decided that they ate like pigs.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

Before deciding that question I had grasped the significance of the silence of the dog, for one true inference invariably suggests others.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

On the question of whether she had been shot or had shot herself, he would not venture to express any decided opinion.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

“When you go out close the door, for there is a decided draught.”

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

She doesn't know her mind a bit; she seems to see the storm coming, but can't decide whether to run up north in the open, or to put in here.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

A majority of the men who had witnessed the making of the bet decided in his favor, whereat the odds went up to three to one against Buck.

(The Call of the Wild, by Jack London)

“If it is a good soul, it will desire and do the good action, and the contrary if it is a bad soul. It is the soul that decides.”

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

Here Mr. Weston joined them, and on hearing what was proposed, gave it his decided approbation.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

My father wished her not to go but said that he left it to her own judgment and feelings to decide.

(Frankenstein, by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley)