Definify.com

Webster 1913 Edition

Qualify

Qual′i-fy

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Qualified
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Qualifying
.]
[F.
qualifier
, LL.
qualificare
, fr. L.
qualis
how constituted, as +
-ficare
(in comp.) to make. See
Quality
, and
-Fy
.]
1.
To make such as is required; to give added or requisite qualities to; to fit, as for a place, office, occupation, or character; to furnish with the knowledge, skill, or other accomplishment necessary for a purpose; to make capable, as of an employment or privilege; to supply with legal power or capacity.
He had
qualified
himself for municipal office by taking the oaths to the sovereigns in possession.
Macaulay.
2.
To give individual quality to; to modulate; to vary; to regulate.
It hath no larynx . . . to
qualify
the sound.
Sir T. Browne.
3.
To reduce from a general, undefined, or comprehensive form, to particular or restricted form; to modify; to limit; to restrict; to restrain;
as, to
qualify
a statement, claim, or proposition
.
4.
Hence, to soften; to abate; to diminish; to assuage; to reduce the strength of, as liquors.
I do not seek to quench your love’s hot fire,
But
qualify
the fire's extreme rage.
Shakespeare
5.
To soothe; to cure; – said of persons.
[Obs.]
In short space he has them
qualified
.
Spenser.
Syn. – To fit; equip; prepare; adapt; capacitate; enable; modify; soften; restrict; restrain; temper.

Qual′i-fy

,
Verb.
I.
1.
To be or become qualified; to be fit, as for an office or employment.
2.
To obtain legal power or capacity by taking the oath, or complying with the forms required, on assuming an office.

Webster 1828 Edition

Qualify

QUAL'IFY

,
Verb.
T.
[L. qualis, such, and facio, to make.]
1.
To fit for any place, office, occupation or character; to furnish with the knowledge, skill or other accomplishment necessary for a purpose; as, to qualify a man for a judge, for a minister of state or of the gospel, for a general or admiral. Holiness alone can qualify men for the society of holy beings.
2.
To make capable of any employment or privilege; to furnish with legal power or capacity; as, in England, to qualify a man to kill game.
3.
To abate; to soften; to diminish; as, to qualify the rigor of a statute.
I do no seek to quench your love's hot fire, but qualify the fire's extreme rage.
4.
To ease; to assuage.
5.
To modify; to restrain; to limit by exceptions; as, to qualify words or expressions, or to qualify the sense of words or phrases.
6.
To modify; to regulate; to vary; as, to qualify sounds.

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