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Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary de·cide (de·cid·ed ; de·cid·ing) ETYMOLOGY Middle English, from Latin decidere, literally, to cut off, from de- + caedere to cut DATE 14th century transitive verb 1. a. to make a final choice or judgment about decide what to do b. to select as a course of action — used with an infinitive decided to go c. to infer on the basis of evidence : conclude they decided that he was right 2. to bring to a definitive end one blow decided the fight 3. to induce to come to a choice her pleas decided him to help intransitive verb : to make a choice or judgment decide on where to go • de·cid·er noun Synonyms. decide , determine , settle , rule , resolve mean to come or cause to come to a conclusion. decide implies previous consideration of a matter causing doubt, wavering, debate, or controversy she decided to sell her house determine implies fixing the identity, character, scope, or direction of something determined the cause of the problem settle implies a decision reached by someone with power to end all dispute or uncertainty the dean's decision settled the campus alcohol policy rule implies a determination by judicial or administrative authority the judge ruled that the evidence was inadmissible resolve implies an expressed or clear decision or determination to do or refrain from doing something he resolved to quit smoking English Etymology decide late 14c., from O.Fr . decider, from L. decidere "to decide," lit. "to cut off," from de- "off" + cædere "to cut" (see cement). For L.vowel change, see acquisition. Sense is of resolving difficulties "at a stroke." Originally "to settle a dispute;" meaning "to make up one's mind" is attested from 1830. Decided in the adj. sense of "resolute" is from 1790. Decisive is c.1600. A decided victory is one whose reality is not in doubt; a decisive one goes far toward settling some issue. Related: Decidedly (1790).http://O.Fr Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary-牛津双解-OALD7 ☞ decide de·cide / di5said / verb1. ~ (between A and B) | ~ (against sth) to think carefully about the different possibilities that are available and choose six of them 对…作出抉择；决定；选定: ▪ [V] It was difficult to decide between the ten candidates. 很难在这两个候选人之间决定取舍。 They decided against taking legal action. 他们决定不提起诉讼。 It's up to you to decide. 这事由你来决定吧。 ▪ [V wh-] I can't decide what to wear. 我拿不定主意穿什么。 ▪ [V (that)] She decided (that) she wanted to live in France. 她决定要住在法国。 ▪ [V to inf] We've decided not to go away after all. 我们到底还是决定不离开。 ▪ [VN] We might be hiring more people but nothing has been decided yet. 我们或许会再多雇些人,不过现在什么都还没定下来。 ▪ [VN (that)] It was decided (that) the school should purchase new software. 已经决定学校要购买新软件。 2. (law 律) ~ (for / against sb) to make an official or legal judgement 裁决；判决: ▪ [VN] The case will be decided by a jury. 这案件将由陪审团裁决。 ▪ [V] The Appeal Court decided in their favour. 上诉法院作出了有利于他们的裁定。 It is always possible that the judge may decide against you. 法官判你败诉总是有可能的。 3. to affect the result of sth 影响(或决定)…的结果: ▪ [VN] A mixture of skill and good luck decided the outcome of the game. 技术和运气结合在一起决定了比赛的结果。 ▪ [V wh-] A number of factors decide whether a movie will be successful or not. 一部电影成功与否是由许多因素决定的。 ▪ [also V] 4. to be the reason why sb does sth 成为(某人)做某事的原因: ▪ [VN] They offered me free accommodation for a year, and that decided me. 他们愿意免费为我提供一年的住宿,这就使我下定了决心。 ▪ [also VN to inf] PHRASAL VERBS ▪ de'cide on / upon sth to choose sth from a number of possibilities 决定；选定: We're still trying to decide on a venue. 我们仍然在设法选定一个会场。 WORD FAMILY decide v.
decision n. ( ≠ indecision )
decisive adj. ( ≠ indecisive )
undecided adj.
Oxford Collocations Dictionary for Students of English decide verb ADV. finally We finally decided to stay where we were. | sensibly, wisely He decided very wisely to keep his money rather than spend it. VERB + DECIDE be able/unable to, can/can't, could (not) I can't decide what to do. | have to, must You will have to decide soon. | try to | be difficult to PREP. against They decided against taking legal action | between It was difficult to decide between the various options. | in favour of They decided in favour of reducing the fees. | on/upon We're still trying to decide on a venue. PHRASES decide for yourself She should be allowed to decide for herself. | the task of deciding sth The committee will have the task of deciding whether more cash should be made available. | to be decided The exact time of the meeting is still to be decided. Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Thesaurus-11th Edition v. Function: verb to come or to cause to come to a conclusion FF1C;he decided how to solve the problemFF1E; Synonyms: conclude, determine, figure, resolve, rule, settle Related Words: gather; adjudge, adjudicate, judge; conjecture, guess, surmise; establish, fix, set Idioms: cast the die, make up one's mind, settle in one's mind Contrasted Words: falter, hesitate, vacillate, waver; fluctuate, oscillate; balk, demur, scruple, shy Webster's Third New International Dictionary, Unabridged de·cide \də̇ˈsīd, dēˈ-\ verb (-ed/-ing/-s) Etymology: Middle English deciden, from Middle French decider, from Latin decidere, literally, to cut off, from de down, away + -cidere (from caedere to cut) — more at de- , concise transitive verb : to dispel doubt on: a. : to arrive at a choice or solution concerning which ends uncertainty or contention < decide what to order for breakfast > b. : to bring definitively and conclusively to an end especially in matters relating to war < the victory at San Jacinto decided the war > c. : to infer or conclude from available indications and evidence < Washington decided … that the President could no longer avoid calling the Senator to account — Economist > d. : to choose or select as a future course of action < she decided to buy a new hat > < decided to read a book instead > e. : to induce or force (as a person) to arrive at a choice, judgment, or decision < this exordium … decided Mr. Cruncher — Charles Dickens > intransitive verb : to make a choice or decision especially a binding or definitive one presumably after consideration : come to a conclusion < some learned men, proud of their knowledge, only speak to decide — Earl of Chesterfield > Synonyms: resolve , determine , rule , settle : decide is less colorful and has less connotational range than others in this group; in this sense it simply means to come to a decision, presumably after some consideration, or to induce another to come to a decision < the time for deliberation is then passed, he has decided — John Marshall > < had finally decided Amy to drop the mask of deference — Arnold Bennett > resolve in reference to a person's decisions about his own future actions may imply an earnest and strong-willed attitude < suddenly he resolved to say something. He resolved to say it so firmly that he determined to say it even if Mr. Britling went on talking all the time — H.G.Wells > but in reference to questions, problems, difficulties, and so on, it appears to stress clear analysis and consideration, with the implication of a final judgment < the task is to resolve initial oppositions of interest into some moderate harmony by a process of mutual concessions — J.A.Hobson > < Mr. Fitzpatrick, who did not catch the point at issue very quickly, seemed unable to resolve the difficulty — James Joyce > determine in reference to decisions on personal action implies about the same things as resolve , although it may occasionally be somewhat weaker and it may involve more consideration of limitation and choice < she was determined that in her house Sophia should have all the freedoms and conveniences that she could have had in her own — Arnold Bennett > < he resolved to overcome the one-pawn disadvantage and determined on a scheme involving the quick and audacious use of his major pieces > but in reference to less personal and more general matters the word may suggest bounds, limits, classes, or terms and may imply that considerations and judgments involved are decisive in a course, outcome, or judgment < but every atom … is a miniature solar system, with electrons in numbers which determine the nature of the element — W.R.Inge > < but theories, intellectual systems, notions … may themselves create demands or determine their directions — Felix Frankfurter > rule stresses the act of deciding it; may imply a judicial, administrative, or otherwise authoritative positive attitude or procedure and a necessarily binding procedure or precedent set < the procedure was ruled out as unparliamentary > < the president ruled that such matters should be taken care of in Mr. Smith's office > settle contains less implication than others in this series about procedure for arriving at a decision, more about the finality of the action < the problem of the Pythagorean legend may be said to be settled. But the problem of the Socratic legend is still under consideration — Havelock Ellis > < the principle of law is too well settled to be disputed, that a court can give no judgment … where it has no jurisdiction — R.B.Taney > |
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