Definition of "describe"

describe

/dɪˈskɹaɪb/

verb
third-person singular simple present describes, present participle describing, simple past and past participle described
1. (transitive) To represent in words.
  Quotations
  Yet the truth is that City would probably have been coasting by that point if the referee, Michael Oliver, had not turned down three separate penalties, at least two of which could be accurately described as certainties.
  2014 November 2, Daniel Taylor, “Sergio Agüero strike wins derby for Manchester City against 10-man United”, in guardian.co.uk
  […] his lordship was out of humour. That was the way Chollacombe described as knaggy an old gager as ever Charles had had the ill-fortune to serve. Stiff-rumped, that's what he was, always rubbing the rust, or riding grub, like he had been for months past.
  1959, Georgette Heyer, chapter 1, in The Unknown Ajax
2. (transitive) To represent by drawing; to draw a plan of; to delineate; to trace or mark out.
  Quotations
  Uncas described an arc in the water with his own blade, and as the canoe passed swiftly on, Chingachgook recovered his paddle, and flourishing it on high, he gave the war-whoop of the Mohicans.
  1826, James Fenimore Cooper, The Last of the Mohicans
  His body was contracted and bent towards them, and described an undulatory movement like that of a worm writhing.
  1906, James George Frazer, Adonis, Attis, Osiris, volume 2, page 146
3. (transitive, mathematics) To give rise to a geometrical structure.
4. (transitive, taxonomy) To introduce a new taxon to science by explaining its characteristics and particularly how it differs from other taxa.
5. (obsolete) To distribute into parts, groups, or classes; to mark off; to class.
  Quotations
  Passed through the land, and described it by cities into seven parts in a book.
  1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], Joshua 18:9

Definition of "describe"

describe

verb

Quotations

Quotations

Quotations