Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Ascribe
As-cribe′
,Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Ascribed
; p. pr. & vb. n.
Ascribing
.] 1.
To attribute, impute, or refer, as to a cause;
as, his death was
ascribed
to a poison; to ascribe
an effect to the right cause; to ascribe
such a book to such an author.The finest [speech] that is
ascribed
to Satan in the whole poem. Addison.
2.
To attribute, as a quality, or an appurtenance; to consider or allege to belong.
Attribute denotes, 1. To refer some quality or attribute to a being;
as, to
. 2. To refer something to its cause or source; attribute
power to Godas, to
. Ascribe is used equally in both these senses, but involves a different image. To impute usually denotes to ascribe something doubtful or wrong, and hence, in general literature, has commonly a bad sense; attribute
a backward spring to icebergs off the coastas, to
. The theological sense of impute is not here taken into view. impute
unworthy motivesMore than good-will to me
attribute
naught. Spenser.
Ascribes
his gettings to his parts and merit. Pope.
And fairly quit him of the
imputed
blame. Spenser.
Webster 1828 Edition
Ascribe
ASCRI'BE
,Verb.
T.
1.
To attribute, impute, or set to, as to a cause; to assign, as effect to a cause; as, losses are often to be ascribed to imprudence.2.
To attribute, as a quality, or an appurtenance; to consider or allege to belong; as, to ascribe perfection to God, or imperfection to man. Job 36. Ps. 68. 1Sam. 18.Definition 2024
ascribe
ascribe
English
Verb
ascribe (third-person singular simple present ascribes, present participle ascribing, simple past and past participle ascribed)
- (transitive) To attribute a cause or characteristic to someone or something.
- One may ascribe these problems to the federal government; however, at this stage it is unclear what caused them.
- (transitive) To attribute a book, painting or any work of art or literature to a writer or creator.
- It is arguable as to whether we can truly ascribe this play to Shakespeare.
Synonyms
Derived terms
Related terms
Translations
attribute a cause or characteristic
attribute a book, etc
|