Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Decision
1.
Cutting off; division; detachment of a part.
[Obs.]
Bp. Pearson.
2.
The act of deciding; act of settling or terminating, as a controversy, by giving judgment on the matter at issue; determination, as of a question or doubt; settlement; conclusion.
The
decision
of some dispute. Atterbury.
3.
An account or report of a conclusion, especially of a legal adjudication or judicial determination of a question or cause;
as, a
decision
of arbitrators; a decision
of the Supreme Court. Each of these words has two meanings, one implying the act of deciding, determining, or resolving; and the other a habit of mind as to doing. It is in the last sense that the words are here compared. Decision is a cutting short. It implies that several courses of action have been presented to the mind, and that the choice is now finally made. It supposes, therefore, a union of promptitude and energy. Determination is the natural consequence of decision. It is the settling of a thing with a fixed purpose to adhere. Resolution is the necessary result in a mind which is characterized by firmness. It is a spirit which scatters (resolves) all doubt, and is ready to face danger or suffering in carrying out one’s determinations. Martin Luther was equally distinguished for his prompt decision, his steadfast determination, and his inflexible resolution.
Webster 1828 Edition
Decision
DECIS'ION
, n.Definition 2024
decision
decision
English
Noun
decision (countable and uncountable, plural decisions)
- The act of deciding.
- A choice or judgement.
- 2013 June 21, Karen McVeigh, “US rules human genes can't be patented”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 189, number 2, page 10:
- The US supreme court has ruled unanimously that natural human genes cannot be patented, a decision that scientists and civil rights campaigners said removed a major barrier to patient care and medical innovation.
- It is the decision of the court that movies are protected as free speech.
- It's a tough decision, but I'll take vanilla.
-
- (uncountable) Firmness of conviction.
- After agonizing deliberations, they finally proceeded with decision.
- (chiefly combat sports) A result arrived at by the judges when there is no clear winner at the end of the contest.
- He has won twice by knockout, once by decision.
- (baseball) A win or a loss awarded to a pitcher.
Usage notes
- (choice or judgment): Most often, to decide something is to make a decision; however, other possibilities exist as well. Many verbs used with destination or conclusion, such as reach, come to, and arrive at can also be used with decision; these serve to emphasize that the decision is the result of deliberation. Finally, some varieties of English prefer to take a decision rather than make one.
- See Appendix:Collocations of do, have, make, and take for uses and meaning of decision collocated with these words.
- Adjectives often applied to "decision": important, difficult, big, tough, bad, informed, easy, personal, smart, poor, good, quick, major, strategic, wise, serious, hard, stupid, hasty, responsible, complex, prudent, deliberate, significant, collective, delayed, challenging, careful, foolish, small, rash, thoughtful, slow, clever, forced, uninformed.
Derived terms
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Related terms
Translations
choice or judgement
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firmness of conviction
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result arrived at by the judges
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Verb
decision (third-person singular simple present decisions, present participle decisioning, simple past and past participle decisioned)