describe */*/*/

describe */*/*/
UK [dɪˈskraɪb] / US verb [transitive]
Word forms "describe":
present tense I/you/we/they describe he/she/it describes present participle describing past tense described past participle described
1)
a) to give details about what someone or something is like

The email system is fully described in section 10.

I don't think that's quite the word to describe my feelings.

describe someone/something as something:

The attacker is described as around 30, with dark hair and a beard.

Paramedics described the scene as a battlefield.

describe how/what/who:

Could you describe how the trip ended?

describe doing something:

She described feeling so angry that she wanted to hit him.

b) to say that someone or something is a particular type of person or thing
describe someone/something as something:

Was this the man she had once described as a hero?

I wouldn't describe her as a nice person.

2) formal to make a shape

The river describes an almost perfect arc across their land.


English dictionary. 2014.

Игры ⚽ Нужна курсовая?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • 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… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • describe — I verb annotate, be specific, characterize, clarify, define, delineate, depict, depingere, describere, detail, elucidate, explain, explicare, expound, give an account, identify, illuminate, illustrate, itemize, make clear, make plain, make vivid …   Law dictionary

  • Describe — De*scribe , v. i. To use the faculty of describing; to give a description; as, Milton describes with uncommon force and beauty. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • describe — early 13c., descriven, from O.Fr. descrivre, descrire (13c.), from L. describere to write down, copy; sketch, represent (see DESCRIPTION (Cf. description)). Reconstructed with Latin spelling 16c. Related: Describable; described, describes,… …   Etymology dictionary

  • describe — *relate, narrate, state, report, rehearse, recite, recount Analogous words: delineate, *sketch, outline …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • describe — [v] explain in speech, writing call, characterize, chronicle, communicate, construe, convey image, define, delineate, depict, detail, distinguish, draw, elucidate, epitomize, exemplify, explicate, expound, express, illuminate, illustrate, image,… …   New thesaurus

  • describe — ► VERB 1) give a detailed account in words of. 2) mark out or draw (a geometrical figure). DERIVATIVES describable adjective describer noun. ORIGIN Latin describere write down …   English terms dictionary

  • describe — [di skrīb′] vt. described, describing [ME descriven < OFr descrivre < L describere, to copy down, transcribe < de , from + scribere, to write: see SCRIBE] 1. to tell or write about; give a detailed account of 2. to picture in words 3. to …   English World dictionary

  • describe — de|scribe W1S1 [dıˈskraıb] v [T] [Date: 1400 1500; : Latin; Origin: describere, from scribere to write ] 1.) to say what something or someone is like by giving details about them ▪ The police asked her to describe the two men. ▪ An alternative… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • describe — de|scribe [ dı skraıb ] verb transitive *** 1. ) to give details about what someone or something is like: The e mail system is fully described in section 10. I don t think that s quite the word to describe my feelings. describe someone/something… …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

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