Dictionary Home » Dictionary Definitions » find

find

Listen See in Thesaurus See in a sentence

Find is defined as to come across something by chance or to locate something that was once lost.

(verb)

An example of find is to discover $10 lying in the road.
An example of find is to discover missing car keys behind the bookcase.

The definition of a find is something discovered, particularly something of worth and value.

(noun)

An example of find is a bag that usually sells for $500 purchased for only $50.

See find in Webster's New World College Dictionary

transitive verb found, finding

to happen on; come upon; meet with; discover by chance
to get by searching or by making an effort: find the answer
to get sight or knowledge of; perceive; learn: I find that I was wrong
to experience or feel: to find pleasure in music
1. to get or recover (something lost): to find a missing book
2. to get or recover the use of: we found our sea legs
to realize as being; consider; think: to find a book boring
to get to; reach; attain: the blow found his chin
to declare after careful thought: the jury found him innocent
to supply; furnish

Origin: ME finden < OE findan, akin to Ger finden, Goth finthan < IE base *pent-, to walk, happen upon, find > L pons, a plank causeway, bridge

intransitive verb

to reach and announce a decision: the jury found for the accused

noun

the act of finding
something found, esp. something interesting or valuable

See find in American Heritage Dictionary 4

verb found found (found), find·ing, finds

verb, transitive

To come upon, often by accident; meet with.
To come upon or discover by searching or making an effort: found the leak in the pipe.
To discover or ascertain through observation, experience, or study: found a solution; find the product of two numbers; found that it didn't really matter.
a. To perceive to be, after experience or consideration: found the gadget surprisingly useful; found the book entertaining.
b. To experience or feel: found comfort in her smile.
To recover (something lost): found her keys.
To recover the use of; regain: found my voice and replied.
To succeed in reaching; arrive at: The dart found its mark.
To obtain or acquire by effort: found the money by economizing.
To decide on and make a declaration about: The jury deliberated and found a verdict of guilty. All the jurors found him guilty.
To furnish; supply.
a. To bring (oneself) to an awareness of what one truly wishes to be and do in life.
b. To perceive (oneself) to be in a specific place or condition: found herself at home that night; found himself drawn to the stranger.

verb, intransitive

To come to a legal decision or verdict: The jury found for the defendant.

noun

The act of finding.
Something that is found, especially an unexpectedly valuable discovery: The Rosetta stone was a providential archaeological find.

Phrasal Verb: find out To ascertain (something), as through examination or inquiry: I found out the phone number by looking it up. If you're not sure, find out. To detect the true nature or character of; expose: Liars risk being found out. To detect and apprehend; catch: Most embezzlers are found out in the end.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English finden

Origin: , from Old English findan; see pent- in Indo-European roots

Related Forms: