12 results for: Describe

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This

de·scribe

Audio Help [di-skrahyb] Pronunciation Key

–verb (used with object), -scribed, -scrib·ing.

1.	to tell or depict in written or spoken words; give an account of: He described the accident very carefully.

2.	to pronounce, as by a designating term, phrase, or the like; label: There are few people who may be described as geniuses.

3.	to indicate; be a sign of; denote: Conceit, in many cases, describes a state of serious emotional insecurity.

4.	to represent or delineate by a picture or figure.

5.	Geometry. to draw or trace the outline of: to describe an arc.

[Origin: 1400–50; late ME describen < L déscrībere, equiv. to dé- de- + scrībere to write

]

—Related forms

de·scrib·a·ble, adjective

de·scrib·a·bil·i·ty, noun

de·scrib·a·bly, adverb

de·scrib·er, noun

—Synonyms 1. portray, characterize, represent; recount, tell, relate. Describe, narrate agree in the idea of giving an account of something. To describe is to convey in words the appearance, nature, attributes, etc., of something. The word often implies vividness of personal observation: to describe a scene, an event. To narrate is to recount the occurrence of something, usually by giving the details of an event or events in the order of their happening. Narrate thus applies only to that which happens in time: to narrate an incident.

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
Describe

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American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

de·scribe Audio Help (dĭ-skrīb') Pronunciation Key
tr.v. de·scribed, de·scrib·ing, de·scribes

To give an account of in speech or writing.
To convey an idea or impression of; characterize: She described her childhood as a time of wonder and discovery.
To represent pictorially; depict: Goya's etchings describe the horrors of war in grotesque detail.
To trace the form or outline of: describe a circle with a compass.

[Middle English describen, from Latin dēscrībere, to write down : dē-, de- + scrībere, to write; see skrībh- in Indo-European roots.]

de·scrib'a·ble adj., de·scrib'er n.

Synonyms: These verbs mean to tell the facts, details, or particulars of something verbally or in writing: described the accident; narrated their travel experiences; an explorer reciting her adventures; a mercenary recounting his exploits; parents rehearsing street safety with their children; related the day's events; reported what she had seen.

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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This

describe
verb
1.	give a description of; "He drew an elaborate plan of attack"
2.	to give an account or representation of in words; "Discreet Italian police described it in a manner typically continental" [syn: report]
3.	make a mark or lines on a surface; "draw a line"; "trace the outline of a figure in the sand" [syn: trace]
4.	identify as in botany or biology, for example [syn: identify]

Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary (Beta Version) - Cite This Source - Share This
describe1 [diˈskraib] verb

to give an account of in words; to tell in words what something or someone is like
Example: He described what had happened; Would you describe her as beautiful?

Arabic:	يَصِف
Chinese (Simplified):	描写
Chinese (Traditional):	描寫
Czech:	popsat; charakterizovat
Danish:	beskrive; skildre
Dutch:	beschrijven
Estonian:	kirjeldama
Finnish:	kuvailla
French:	décrire
German:	beschreiben
Greek:	περιγράφω
Hungarian:	leír, ecsetel
Icelandic:	lÿsa
Indonesian:	memerikan
Italian:	descrivere

Japanese:	描写する
Korean:	묘사하다, 서술하다
Latvian:	aprakstīt; attēlot
Lithuanian:	papasakoti, apibūdinti
Norwegian:	beskrive, framstille
Polish:	opisywać
Portuguese (Brazil):	descrever
Portuguese (Portugal):	descrever
Romanian:	a descrie
Russian:	описывать
Slovak:	opísať; povedať
Slovenian:	opisati
Spanish:	describir
Turkish:	tanımlamak, anlatmak

describe2 [diˈskraib] verb

to say that one is something
Example: He describes himself as a salesman.

Arabic:	يُعَرِّفُ نَفْسَه إنَّه
Chinese (Simplified):	形容
Chinese (Traditional):	形容
Czech:	vydávat se
Danish:	kalde; betegne
Dutch:	zich noemen
Estonian:	(kellekski) nimetama
Finnish:	kutsua joksikin
French:	se dire
German:	bezeichnen
Greek:	δηλώνω
Hungarian:	leír
Icelandic:	segjast vera; lÿsa sjálfum sér sem
Indonesian:	menyatakan
Italian:	descriversi

Japanese:	～を～だと言う
Korean:	(…을 …이라고) 말하다
Latvian:	uzskatīt
Lithuanian:	apibūdinti, pristatyti
Norwegian:	betegne, kalle (seg), beskrive seg selv
Polish:	przedstawiać się
Portuguese (Brazil):	descrever
Portuguese (Portugal):	dizer-se
Romanian:	a se prezenta (ca)
Russian:	выдавать себя за
Slovak:	vydávať sa (za)
Slovenian:	izdajati se za
Spanish:	calificar, definir
Swedish:	framställa
Turkish:	saymak, görmek

See also: description

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Describe

De*scribe"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Described; p. pr. & vb. n. Describing.] [L. describere, descriptum; de- + scribere to write: cf. OE. descriven, OF. descrivre, F. d['e]crire. See Scribe, and cf. Descry.]

1. To represent by drawing; to draw a plan of; to delineate; to trace or mark out; as, to describe a circle by the compasses; a torch waved about the head in such a way as to describe a circle.

2. To represent by words written or spoken; to give an account of; to make known to others by words or signs; as, the geographer describes countries and cities.

3. To distribute into parts, groups, or classes; to mark off; to class. [Obs.]

Passed through the land, and described it by cities into seven parts in a book. --Josh. xviii. 9.

Syn: To set forth; represent; delineate; relate; recount; narrate; express; explain; depict; portray; chracterize.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Describe

De*scribe"\, v. i. To use the faculty of describing; to give a description; as, Milton describes with uncommon force and beauty.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Describe

De*scrip"tion\, n. [F. description, L. descriptio. See Describe.]

1. The act of describing; a delineation by marks or signs.

2. A sketch or account of anything in words; a portraiture or representation in language; an enumeration of the essential qualities of a thing or species.

Milton has descriptions of morning. --D. Webster.

3. A class to which a certain representation is applicable; kind; sort.

A difference . . . between them and another description of public creditors. --A. Hamilton.

The plates were all of the meanest description. --Macaulay.

Syn: Account; definition; recital; relation; detail; narrative; narration; explanation; delineation; representation; kind; sort. See Definition.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Describe

De*scrive"\, v. t. [OF. descrivre. See Describe.] To describe. [Obs.] --Spenser.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Describe

Dis*crive"\, v. t. [OF. descrivre. See Describe.] To describe. [Obs.] --Chaucer.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Describe

Scribe\ (skr[imac]b), n. [L. scriba, fr. scribere to write; cf. Gr. ska`rifos a splinter, pencil, style (for writing), E. scarify. Cf. Ascribe, Describe, Script, Scrivener, Scrutoire.]

1. One who writes; a draughtsman; a writer for another; especially, an offical or public writer; an amanuensis or secretary; a notary; a copyist.

2. (Jewish Hist.) A writer and doctor of the law; one skilled in the law and traditions; one who read and explained the law to the people.

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