Decern meaning

With infinitive or object clause.
verb
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Intransitive.
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Decree by judicial sentence. Now a technical term of Scottish judicature; the use of the word decerns being necessary to constitute a decree.
  • With simple object.
  • Decree by judicial sentence that something be done.
verb
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Intransitive.
verb
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Transferred sense.
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See distinctly (with the eyes or the mind); distinguish (an object or fact); discern.
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Origin of decern

First attested in late Middle English circa 1425; from the French décerner, from the Latin dēcernō (“I decide”, (law): “I pronounce a decision”), from dē (“of”; “from”, “away from”) + cernō (“I separate”, “I distinguish”), whence the English cern. In Old French, the forms of décerner were frequently conflated with those of descerner, discerner; the two verbs were not clearly distinguished until the sixteenth century; hence, in English also, decern is found with the sense discern.