find

I UK [faɪnd] / US verb [transitive]
Word forms "find":
present tense I/you/we/they find he/she/it finds present participle finding past tense found UK [faʊnd] / US past participle found
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1) to discover something, or to see where it is by searching for it

Police have found a weapon.

Illegal drugs were found in the singer's luggage.

Have you found your shoes?

a) to discover something by chance

Everyone dreams of finding a valuable old painting in the attic.

I found a ten pound note on the pavement!

b) to discover or notice something

We arrived to find the house in darkness.

find someone doing something:

I found her wandering the streets in a complete daze.

c) to discover a fact or piece of information

We hope to find the answers to some of these questions.

No explanation for this phenomenon has yet been found.

d) to suddenly discover or realize something

find (that):

I put my hand into my pocket and found I'd left my keys at home.

2) to get something

Have you found accommodation yet?

find work/employment/a job:

It is very difficult for young people in this area to find work.

3)

a) to experience an emotion that you have not experienced in the past

He found happiness late in life with his second wife.

Doug finally found the courage to speak.

b) to experience something in a particular way

find something difficult/frightening/relaxing etc:

William now finds walking very difficult.

find someone attractive/irritating etc:

Men always found her extremely attractive.

4) to have something as an opinion because of things that you have noticed or experienced yourself

find (that):

I find that children need a lot of encouragement.

5) to make a formal decision about something after listening to all the facts

find (that):

The court found that the company was in breach of its contract.

find someone guilty/not guilty:

He was found guilty and sentenced to three years in prison.

find for someone/in someone's favour (= decide that someone is right):

The industrial tribunal found in our favour.

find against someone (= decide that someone is wrong):

The court found against the plaintiff.

6) if you find the time or money to do something, you have enough time or money to do it

We've got to find an extra £200 by Friday.

I never seem to find the time to read these days.

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- find its way

- find your feet

- find yourself somewhere

- find your way

- be found

Phrasal verbs:

- find out

II UK [faɪnd] / US noun [countable]
Word forms "find":
singular find plural finds
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something good, interesting, or valuable that you discover by chance

The statue could be one of the finds of the century.

a real find:

Our new nanny is a real find!