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determine definition

de·ter·mine (dē tʉr′mən, di-)

transitive verb determined -·mined, determining -·min·ing

  1. to set limits to; bound; define
  2. to settle (a dispute, question, etc.) conclusively; decide
  3. to reach a decision about after thought and investigation; decide upon
  4. to establish or affect the nature, kind, or quality of; fix genes determine heredity
  5. to find out exactly; calculate precisely; ascertain to determine a ship's position
  6. to give direction to; shape or affect
  7. Law to end; terminate

Etymology: ME determinen < OFr determiner < L determinare, to bound, limit < de-, from + terminare, to set bounds < terminus, an end: see term

intransitive verb

  1. to decide; resolve
  2. Law to come to an end

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Alternate definitions:

idioms determine idiom

determine Synonyms

determine

v.

  1. To define

    limit, circumscribe, delimit; see define 1, restrict 2.

  2. To find out the facts

    ascertain, find out, learn; see discover, learn 2.

  3. To decide the course of affairs

    devise, invent, plot, fix; see arrange 2, command 2, manage 1, plan 1, prepare 1.

  4. To resolve

    decide, fix upon, settle, conclude; see decide, resolve 1. See syn. study at decide, learn.


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

determine Usage Examples

Object

  • extent: The data was analyzed to determine the extent to which acoustic cues affect the patterned behavior.

Used with why or when

  • which: The statistics also help us determine which parts of the site are most popular.

Infinitive complement

  • succeed: That inevitably means people who can communicate well, work in a team and are determined to succeed.

Present participle complement

  • accord: Their handedness was determined according to the hand they wrote with.

Preposition: in

  • accordance: The amount of compensation will be determined in accordance with the rules set out below.
determine usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

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MLA Style

"determine." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 4 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/determine>

APA Style

determine. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 4th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/determine

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