decide[verb]Synonyms: reach
or come to a decision, adjudge, adjudicate, choose, conclude, determine, make up one's mind, resolve
Contrasted words: falter, hesitate, vacillate, waver, fluctuate, oscillate, balk, demur, scruple, shy
Related Idioms: cast the die, make up one's mind, settle in one's mind
Related Words: gather,
adjudge,
adjudicate,
judge,
conjecture,
guess,
surmise,
establish,
fix,
set
English Thesaurus: decide, make up your mind, choose to do something, make a decision, resolve, ... [TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲
de‧cide S1 W1 /dɪˈsaɪd/
verb [
Word Family: noun:
decision,
indecision;
adverb:
decidedly,
decisively ≠
indecisively;
adjective:
decided ≠
undecided,
decisive ≠
indecisive;
verb:
decide]
[
Date: 1300-1400;
Language: French;
Origin: décider, from Latin decidere 'to cut off, decide']
1. [intransitive and transitive] to make a choice or judgment about something, especially after considering all the possibilities or arguments ⇒
decision:
Has anything been decided yet?decide to do something Tina’s decided to go to Rome for her holidays.decide (that) It was decided that four hospitals should close.decide who/what/whether etc I can’t decide whether I like him or not. People have a right to decide how to spend their own money.decide between something A meeting was called to decide between the three candidates.decide for yourself (=make your own decision) You must decide for yourself. The trainees decide among themselves what programs to take.decide against/in favour of (doing) something He eventually decided against telling her. After a long discussion, they decided in favour of (=chose) the older applicant.2. [transitive] to influence a situation or event so that a particular result is produced:
It was the penalty kick that decided the match.3. [transitive] to be the reason for someone making a particular choice:
Taxes could be the deciding factor for millions of floating voters.decide somebody to do something The look he gave her decided her not to ask.4. [intransitive and transitive] law to make an official or legal judgment:
The Commission will have the power to decide disputes.decide in favour of/against somebody If the Parole Board decides in his favour, the prisoner will be released. [TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲
decide to make a choice to do something:
We decided to send our son to a boarding school. I decided to go home early.make up your mind to decide something, especially after thinking about it for a long time.
Make up your mind is less formal than
decide and is mainly used in spoken English:
Have you made up your mind about where you’ll go on holiday?choose to do something to decide to do something – especially when this is different from what people expect or tell you to do:
She chose to ignore my advice. More young couples are choosing not to marry.make a decision to decide after thinking carefully about something, especially about something that is very important:
They made a decision not to have children.resolve formal to decide that you will definitely do something, especially because you think it will be better for you, or because of your past experiences:
She resolved to work hard at school.determine formal to officially decide what something shall be:
Each hospital can determine its own pay rates.come down in favour of something British English,
come down in favor of something American English to decide to support a particular plan, argument etc – used especially about groups of people:
Eight of the ten committee members came down in favour of the changes.come to/reach a decision to officially decide about something important after discussing and carefully considering it - used especially about groups of people:
After two hours of discussion, the comittee had still not come to a decision on any of the proposals.determination the quality of continuing to try to do something, even when it is difficult:
Bill got where he is today by sheer hard work and determination. I really admired her determination to live her own life.willpower the ability to control your mind and body in order to achieve something you have decided to do:
It takes a lot of willpower to give up smoking. She made herself get better by sheer willpower, when everyone else had given up hope.drive the determination and energy to succeed, especially in business or work:
We’re looking for young people who have drive, initiative, and new ideas. He’s clever enough, but he lacks drive.perseverance the ability to continue trying to achieve something over a long period in a patient way, even when this is difficult:
Reaching this standard of musical skill requires incredible perseverance. A good teacher should have imagination and perseverance.ruthlessness the quality of being extremely determined to achieve what you want, and not caring if you have to hurt other people to do it:
He was a man who pursued his aims with complete ruthlessness. The revolt was suppressed with total ruthlessness.tenacity formal the determination to never stop trying to do something, especially when other people try to stop you:
He clung to power with a remarkable tenacity. When fighting cancer, Tsongas showed the same tenacity he displayed in politics. [TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲