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Webster 1913 Edition

Determine

De-ter′mine

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Determined
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Determining
.]
[F.
déterminer
, L.
determinare
,
determinatum
;
de
+
terminare
limit,
terminus
limit. See
Term
.]
1.
To fix the boundaries of; to mark off and separate.
[God] hath
determined
the times before appointed.
Acts xvii. 26.
2.
To set bounds to; to fix the determination of; to limit; to bound; to bring to an end; to finish.
The knowledge of men hitherto hath been
determined
by the view or sight.
Bacon.
Now, where is he that will not stay so long
Till his friend sickness hath
determined
me?
Shakespeare
3.
To fix the form or character of; to shape; to prescribe imperatively; to regulate; to settle.
The character of the soul is
determined
by the character of its God.
J. Edwards.
Something divinely beautiful . . . that at some time or other might influence or even
determine
her course of life.
W. Black.
4.
To fix the course of; to impel and direct; – with a remoter object preceded by to;
as, another’s will
determined
me to this course
.
5.
To ascertain definitely; to find out the specific character or name of; to assign to its true place in a system;
as, to
determine
an unknown or a newly discovered plant or its name
.
6.
To bring to a conclusion, as a question or controversy; to settle authoritative or judicial sentence; to decide;
as, the court has
determined
the cause
.
7.
To resolve on; to have a fixed intention of; also, to cause to come to a conclusion or decision; to lead;
as, this
determined
him to go immediately
.
8.
(Logic)
To define or limit by adding a differentia.
9.
(Physical Sciences)
To ascertain the presence, quantity, or amount of;
as, to
determine
the parallax; to
determine
the salt in sea water.

De-ter′mine

,
Verb.
I.
1.
To come to an end; to end; to terminate.
[Obs.]
He who has vented a pernicious doctrine or published an ill book must know that his life
determine
not together.
South.
Estates may
determine
on future contingencies.
Blackstone.
2.
To come to a decision; to decide; to resolve; – often with on.
“Determine on some course.”
Shak.
He shall pay as the judges
determine
.
Ex. xxi. 22.

Webster 1828 Edition

Determine

DETERMINE

,
Verb.
T.
[L., to bound; a boundary or limit. Gr. See Term.]
1.
To end; particularly, to end by the decision or conclusion of a cause, or of a doubtful or controverted point; applicable to the decisions of the mind, or to judicial decisions. We say, I had determined this question in my own mind; the court has determined the cause.
2.
To end and fix; to settle ultimately; as, this event determined his fate.
3.
To fix on; to settle or establish; as, to determine the proper season for planting seeds.
God--hath determined the times before appointed. Acts 17.
4.
To end; to limit; to bound; to confine. Yonder hill determines our view. Knowledge is determined by the sight.
5.
To give a direction to; to influence the choice; that is, to limit to a particular purpose or direction; as, this circumstance determined him to the study of law. Also, to give a direction to material bodies in their course; as, impulse may determine a moving body to this or that point.
6.
To resolve, that is, to end or settle a point in the mind, as in Definition first.
I determined this with myself. 2 Corinthians 2.
Paul had determined to sail by Ephesus. Acts 20.
7.
To destroy. [Not used.]
8.
To put an end to; as, to determine a will.
9.
To settle or ascertain, as something uncertain.
The character of the soul is determined by the character of its God.

DETERMINE

, v.i.
1.
To resolve; to conclude; to come to a decision.
He shall pay as the judges determine. Exodus 21.
It is indifferent how the learned shall determine concerning this matter.
2.
To end; to terminate. The danger determined by the death of the conspirators. Revolutions often determine in setting up tyranny at home, or in conquest from abroad.
Some estates may determine, on future contingencies.

Definition 2024

determine

determine

English

Alternative forms

Verb

determine ‎(third-person singular simple present determines, present participle determining, simple past and past participle determined)

  1. To set the boundaries or limits of.
    • Bible, Acts xvii. 26
      [God] hath determined the times before appointed.
    • Francis Bacon
      The knowledge of men hitherto hath been determined by the view or sight.
  2. To ascertain definitely; to figure out, find out, or conclude by analyzing, calculating, or investigating.
    • 2013 July 20, “Old soldiers?”, in The Economist, volume 408, number 8845:
      Whether modern, industrial man is less or more warlike than his hunter-gatherer ancestors is impossible to determine. The machine gun is so much more lethal than the bow and arrow that comparisons are meaningless.
  3. To fix the form or character of; to shape; to prescribe imperatively; to regulate; to settle.
    • J. Edwards
      The character of the soul is determined by the character of its God.
    • W. Black
      something divinely beautiful […] that at some time or other might influence or even determine her course of life
  4. To fix the course of; to impel and direct; with a remoter object preceded by to.
    The news of his father's illness determined him to depart immediately.
  5. To bring to a conclusion, as a question or controversy; to settle authoritative or judicial sentence; to decide.
    The court has determined the cause.
  6. To resolve on; to have a fixed intention of; also, to cause to come to a conclusion or decision; to lead.
    I determined to go home at once.
  7. (logic) To define or limit by adding a differentia.
  8. (obsolete) To bring to an end; to finish.
    • Shakespeare
      Now, where is he that will not stay so long / Till his friend sickness hath determined me?

Derived terms

Translations

Galician

Verb

determine

  1. first-person singular present subjunctive of determinar
  2. third-person singular present subjunctive of determinar

Ladin

Verb

determine

  1. first-person singular present indicative of determiner
  2. first-person singular present subjunctive of determiner
  3. third-person singular present subjunctive of determiner
  4. third-person plural present subjunctive of determiner

Portuguese

Verb

determine

  1. First-person singular (eu) present subjunctive of determinar
  2. Third-person singular (ele, ela, also used with tu and você?) present subjunctive of determinar
  3. Third-person singular (você) affirmative imperative of determinar
  4. Third-person singular (você) negative imperative of determinar

Spanish

Verb

determine

  1. Formal second-person singular (usted) imperative form of determinar.
  2. First-person singular (yo) present subjunctive form of determinar.
  3. Formal second-person singular (usted) present subjunctive form of determinar.
  4. Third-person singular (él, ella, also used with usted?) present subjunctive form of determinar.

Etymology

From Middle English determinen, from Old French determiner, French déterminer, from Latin determinare ‎(“to bound, limit, prescribe, fix, determine”), from de + terminare ‎(“to limit”), from terminus ‎(“bound, limit, end”).

Pronunciation

  • (UK) IPA(key): /dɪˈtɜːmɪn/
  • (US) IPA(key): /dɪˈtɝmɪn/

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