Definify.com

Webster 1913 Edition

Sentence

Sen′tence

,
Noun.
[F., from L.
sententia
, for
sentientia
, from
sentire
to discern by the senses and the mind, to feel, to think. See
Sense
,
Noun.
, and cf.
Sentiensi
.]
1.
Sense; meaning; significance.
[Obs.]
Tales of best
sentence
and most solace.
Chaucer.
The discourse itself, voluble enough, and full of
sentence
.
Milton.
2.
(a)
An opinion; a decision; a determination; a judgment, especially one of an unfavorable nature.
My
sentence
is for open war.
Milton.
That by them [Luther’s works] we may pass
sentence
upon his doctrines.
Atterbury.
(b)
A philosophical or theological opinion; a dogma;
as, Summary of the
Sentences
; Book of the
Sentences
.
3.
(Law)
In civil and admiralty law, the judgment of a court pronounced in a cause; in criminal and ecclesiastical courts, a judgment passed on a criminal by a court or judge; condemnation pronounced by a judicial tribunal; doom. In common law, the term is exclusively used to denote the judgment in criminal cases.
Received the
sentence
of the law.
Shakespeare
4.
A short saying, usually containing moral instruction; a maxim; an axiom; a saw.
Broome.
5.
(Gram.)
A combination of words which is complete as expressing a thought, and in writing is marked at the close by a period, or full point. See
Proposition
, 4.
☞ Sentences are simple or compound. A simple sentence consists of one subject and one finite verb; as, “The Lord reigns.” A compound sentence contains two or more subjects and finite verbs, as in this verse: -
He fills, he bounds, connects, and equals all.
Pope.
Dark sentence
,
a saying not easily explained.
A king . . . understanding
dark sentences
.
Dan. vii. 23.

Sen′tence

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Sentenced
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Sentencing
.]
1.
To pass or pronounce judgment upon; to doom; to condemn to punishment; to prescribe the punishment of.
Nature herself is
sentenced
in your doom.
Dryden.
2.
To decree or announce as a sentence.
[Obs.]
Shak.
3.
To utter sententiously.
[Obs.]
Feltham.

Webster 1828 Edition

Sentence

SEN'TENCE

,
Noun.
[from L. sententia, from sentio, to think.]
1. In law, a judgement pronounced by a court or judge upon a criminal; a jdicial decision publicly and officially declared in a criminal prosecution. In technical language, sentence is used only for the declaration of judgement against the convicted of a crime. In civil cases, the decision of the court is called a judgement. In criminal cases, sentence is a judgement pronounced; doom.
2. In language not technical, a determination or decision given, particularly a decision that condemns, ar an unfavorable determination.
Let him be sent out lome of Luther's works, that by them we may pass sentence upon his doctrines. Atterbury.
3. An opinion; judgement concerning a controverted point.
4. A maxim; an axiom; a short saying containing moral instruction.
5. Vindication of one's innocence.
6. In grammar, a period; a number of words containing a complete sense or sentiment, and followed by a full pause. Sentences are simple or compound. A simple sentence consists of one subject and one finite verb; as, 'the Lord reigns.' A compound sentence two or more subjects and finite verbs, as in this verse,
He fills, he bounds, connects and equals all. Pope.

Definition 2024

sentence

sentence

English

Noun

sentence ‎(plural sentences)

  1. (obsolete) Sense; meaning; significance.
    • Milton
      The discourse itself, voluble enough, and full of sentence.
  2. (obsolete) One's opinion; manner of thinking. [14th-17th c.]
    • Milton
      My sentence is for open war.
  3. (now rare) A pronounced opinion or judgment on a given question. [from 14th c.]
    • Atterbury
      By them [Luther's works] we may pass sentence upon his doctrines.
  4. (dated) The decision or judgement of a jury or court; a verdict. [from 14th c.]
    The court returned a sentence of guilt in the first charge, but innocence in the second.
  5. The judicial order for a punishment to be imposed on a person convicted of a crime. [from 14th c.]
    The judge declared a sentence of death by hanging for the infamous cattle rustler.
  6. A punishment imposed on a person convicted of a crime.
  7. (obsolete) A saying, especially form a great person; a maxim, an apophthegm. [14th-19th c.]
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Broome to this entry?)
  8. (grammar) A grammatically complete series of words consisting of a subject and predicate, even if one or the other is implied, and typically beginning with a capital letter and ending with a full stop. [from 15th c.]
    The children were made to construct sentences consisting of nouns and verbs from the list on the chalkboard.
  9. (logic) A formula with no free variables. [from 20th c.]
  10. (computing theory) Any of the set of strings that can be generated by a given formal grammar. [from 20th c.]

Synonyms

Hypernyms

Related terms

Translations

Verb

sentence ‎(third-person singular simple present sentences, present participle sentencing, simple past and past participle sentenced)

  1. To declare a sentence on a convicted person; to doom; to condemn to punishment.
    The judge sentenced the embezzler to ten years in prison, along with a hefty fine.
    • Dryden
      Nature herself is sentenced in your doom.
    • 1900, Charles W. Chesnutt, The House Behind the Cedars, Chapter I,
      The murderer, he recalled, had been tried and sentenced to imprisonment for life, but was pardoned by a merciful governor after serving a year of his sentence.
  2. (obsolete) To decree or announce as a sentence.
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Shakespeare to this entry?)
  3. (obsolete) To utter sententiously.
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Feltham to this entry?)

Translations

Czech

Noun

sentence f

  1. sentence (formula with no free variables)
  2. sentence (grammar)

Declension

Synonyms

French

Etymology

From Old French, from Latin sententia.

Pronunciation

Noun

sentence f ‎(plural sentences)

  1. sentence
  2. verdict
  3. maxim, saying, adage

Latvian

Noun

sentence f (5th declension)

  1. aphorism
  2. maxim

Declension

Synonyms

  • aforisms
  • domu grauds

Middle French

Etymology

Latin sententia.

Noun

sentence f (plural sentences)

  1. sentence (judgement; verdict)
    • 1532, François Rabelais, Pantagruel:
      […] puis retourna s'asseoir et commença pronuncer la sentence comme s'ensuyt :
      […] then went back and sat down and started to give the verdict as follows:
  2. sentence (grammatically complete series of words)
    • 1552, François Rabelais, Le Tiers Livre:
      tant a cause des amphibologies, equivocques, & obscuritez des motz, que de la briefveté des sentences

Etymology

From Middle French sentence, from Latin sententia ‎(“way of thinking, opinion, sentiment”), from sentiens, present participle of sentīre ‎(“to feel, think”); see sentient, sentience, sense, scent.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈsɛntəns/
  • Hyphenation: sen‧tence

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