decide
/dɪˈsʌɪd
/verb [with object]
1Come or bring to a resolution in the mind as a result of consideration: [with clause]: she decided that she liked him [with infinitive]: I’ve decided to stay on a bit this business about the letter decided me...
- In the end what decided me was not guesses about time, but feelings about which walks are pleasing and which ones aren't.
1.1 [no object] Make a choice from a number of alternatives: she had decided on her plan of action I’ve decided against having children...
- We decided on an alternate route that took us to the interstate and we were on our way to Dayton.
- But councillors on the environment committee decided against imposing the changes.
- Thus, the two senior commanders on the spot decided on a land campaign to capture the Gallipoli peninsula.
Synonyms
resolve, determine, make up one's mind, make a decision, come to a decision, reach a decision, come to a conclusion, reach a conclusion, settle on a plan of action;
elect, choose, opt, plan, aim, commit oneself, have the intention, have in mind, set one's sights on
choose, opt for, select, pick, pick out, go for, settle on, plump for/on, single out, take, fix on;
British pitch on
1.2 [no object] Give a judgement concerning a matter or legal case: the courts decided in favour of the New York claimants [with object]: the judge will decide the case...
- It was not the role of the coroner's court to decide on matters of alleged medical negligence.
- The arguments presented by the HFEA in court, and those made by judges in deciding in favour of the HFEA, contained a number of inconsistencies and arbitrary judgements.
- Now an ecclesiastical court has decided in favour of the changes.
1.3Come to a decision about (something): the council will decide the fate of the homes...
- That's when our parish council must decide its financial plans.
- Rob M. looked like he was in charge, making the decisions, and deciding his own fate.
- However, the state has not yet enacted the agreement and Nu Image has been awaiting the authorities' decision before deciding its own action on the case.
Synonyms
adjudicate, arbitrate, adjudge, judge, umpire, referee;
hear, try, examine;
make a judgement on, pass judgement on, sit in judgement on, pronounce judgement on, pronounce on, give a verdict on, make a ruling on, rule on
informal ref
1.4Resolve or settle (a question or contest): an exciting game was decided by a 65th-minute goal...
- The match was decided on the last game of the evening when Hansen was able to overcome Armstrong.
- Claremorris now face Westport B in a game that will decide the championship in Westport Saturday week.
- For the first time, an NFL championship game would be decided in sudden-death overtime.
Synonyms
settle, resolve, bring to a conclusion, determine, work out, answer, clinch, confirm
informal sort out, figure out
Derivatives
decidable
/ adjective ...- A set of positive integers is decidable if there is an algorithm for determining whether any given positive integer belongs to it.
- Practice without a tradition means performing acts and relating to phenomena through a filter, lens, paradigm, or etc. that is not tied to any specific or decidable group of people.
- Maybe there is a mathematical proof deciding this question; maybe every mathematical question is decidable by an intuitive proof or disproof.
Origin
Late Middle English (in the sense 'bring to a settlement'): from French décider, from Latin decidere 'determine', from de- 'off' + caedere 'cut'.
Decide was ‘bring to a settlement’ in early uses. It comes from Latin decidere ‘determine’, from de-meaning ‘off’ and caedere ‘to cut’. Caedere is also found in concise (late 16th century) literally ‘cut up’; excise (late 16th century) ‘cut out’; precise (Late Middle English) ‘cut in advance or short’; scissors, and suicide (mid 17th century) ‘cut or kill yourself’.