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ascribe - 8 dictionary results

as⋅cribe

  [uh-skrahyb]
Use ascribe in a Sentence
–verb (used with object), -cribed, -crib⋅ing.
1. to credit or assign, as to a cause or source; attribute; impute: The alphabet is usually ascribed to the Phoenicians.
2. to attribute or think of as belonging, as a quality or characteristic: They ascribed courage to me for something I did out of sheer panic.
Origin:
1400–50; late ME < L ascrībere, equiv. to a- a- 5 + scrībere to scribe 2 ; r. ME ascrive < MF. See shrive

Related forms:
a⋅scrib⋅a⋅ble, adjective

Synonyms:
1. See attribute.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To ascribe
as·cribe   (ə-skrīb')   
tr.v.   as·cribed, as·crib·ing, as·cribes
  1. To attribute to a specified cause, source, or origin: "Other people ascribe his exclusion from the canon to an unsubtle form of racism" (Daniel Pinchbeck). See Synonyms at attribute.
  2. To assign as a quality or characteristic: was quick to ascribe jealousy to her critics.

[Middle English ascriben, from Old French ascrivre, from Latin ascrībere : ad-, ad- + scrībere, to write; see skrībh- in Indo-European roots.]
a·scrib'a·ble adj.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Main Entry:  ascribe1
Part of Speech:  v
Definition:  to infer or conjecture ownership; to consider as belonging to
Etymology:  Latin ad- + scribere 'to write'
Usage:  transitive; used with to
Main Entry:  ascribe2
Part of Speech:  v
Definition:  to attribute to a cause or source
Etymology:  Latin ad- + scribere 'to write'
Usage:  transitive; used with to
Main Entry:  ascribe3
Part of Speech:  v
Definition:  to write into; to add in writing
Etymology:  Latin ad- + scribere 'to write'
Usage:  transitive; used with to
Main Entry:  ascribe4
Part of Speech:  v
Definition:  to count; to enter into an account
Etymology:  Latin ad- + scribere 'to write'
Usage:  transitive; used with to
Dictionary.com's 21st Century Lexicon
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Language Translation for : ascribe
Spanish: atribuir (a),
German: zuschreiben,
Japanese: ～に帰する
More Translations »

Ascribe

As*cribe"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Ascribed; p. pr. & vb. n. Ascribing.] [L. ascribere, adscribere, to ascribe; ad + scribere to write: cf. OF. ascrire. See Scribe.]

1. To attribute, impute, or refer, as to a cause; as, his death was ascribed to a poison; to ascribe an effect to the right cause; to ascribe such a book to such an author.

The finest [speech] that is ascribed to Satan in the whole poem. --Addison.

2. To attribute, as a quality, or an appurtenance; to consider or allege to belong.

Syn: To Ascribe, Attribute, Impute.

Usage: Attribute denotes, 1. To refer some quality or attribute to a being; as, to attribute power to God. 2. To refer something to its cause or source; as, to attribute a backward spring to icebergs off the coast. Ascribe is used equally in both these senses, but involves a different image. To impute usually denotes to ascribe something doubtful or wrong, and hence, in general literature, has commonly a bad sense; as, to impute unworthy motives. The theological sense of impute is not here taken into view.

More than good-will to me attribute naught. --Spenser.

Ascribes his gettings to his parts and merit. --Pope.

And fairly quit him of the imputed blame. --Spenser.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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ascribe 
16c. restored spelling of M.E. ascrive (c.1340), from O.Fr. ascrivre "to attribute, inscribe," from L. ascribere "to write in, to add to in a writing," from ad- "to" + scribere "to write" (see script).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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