4 definitions
for describe
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :
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 a plan of; to delineate;
to trace or mark out; as, to describe a circle by the
compasses; a torch waved about the head in such a way as
to describe a circle.
[1913 Webster]
2. To represent by words written or spoken; to give an
account of; to make known to others by words or signs; as,
the geographer describes countries and cities.
[1913 Webster]
3. To distribute into parts, groups, or classes; to mark off;
to class. [Obs.]
[1913 Webster]
Passed through the land, and described it by cities
into seven parts in a book. --Josh. xviii.
9.
Syn: To set forth; represent; delineate; relate; recount;
narrate; express; explain; depict; portray; chracterize.
[1913 Webster]
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :
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]
From WordNet (r) 2.0 :
describe
v 1: give a description of; "He drew an elaborate plan of attack"
[syn: depict, draw]
2: to give an account or representation of in words; "Discreet
Italian police described it in a manner typically
continental" [syn: report, account]
3: identify as in botany or biology, for example [syn: identify,
discover, key, key out, distinguish, name]
4: make a mark or lines on a surface; "draw a line"; "trace the
outline of a figure in the sand" [syn: trace, draw, line,
delineate]
From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 :
58 Moby Thesaurus words for "describe":
be characteristic, bring to life, character, characterize,
chronicle, construe, define, delineate, demarcate, depict, detail,
diagnose, differentiate, distinguish, draw, earmark, evoke,
explain, express, give words to, identify, interpret, keynote,
label, limn, mark, mark off, mark out, narrate, outline, paint,
picture, portray, read, read into, recite, recount, relate, render,
report, represent, retail, set apart, set forth, set the pace,
set the tone, sketch, sound the keynote, specify, style, take,
take it that, take to mean, trace, traverse, understand,
understand by, write
