Word Study
find
CIDE DICTIONARY
find, v. t. [AS. findan; akin to D. vinden, OS. & OHG. findan, G. finden, Dan. finde, icel. & Sw. finna, Goth. fin; and perh. to L. petere to seek, Gr. pi`ptein to fall, Skr. pat to fall, fly, E. petition.].
- To meet with, or light upon, accidentally; to gain the first sight or knowledge of, as of something new, or unknown; hence, to fall in with, as a person. [1913 Webster]"Searching the window for a flint, I found
This paper, thus sealed up." [1913 Webster]"In woods and forests thou art found." [1913 Webster] - To learn by experience or trial; to perceive; to experience; to discover by the intellect or the feelings; to detect; to feel. Shak. [1913 Webster]"The torrid zone is now found habitable." [1913 Webster]
- To come upon by seeking; as, to find something lost. [1913 Webster]"Seek, and ye shall find." [1913 Webster]"Every mountain now hath found a tongue." [1913 Webster]
- To provide for; to supply; to furnish; as, to find food for workemen; he finds his nephew in money. [1913 Webster]"Wages £14 and all found." [1913 Webster]"Nothing a day and find yourself." [1913 Webster]
- To arrive at, as a conclusion; to determine as true; to establish; as, to find a verdict; to find a true bill (of indictment) against an accused person. [1913 Webster]"To find his title with some shows of truth." [1913 Webster]
find, v. i.
To determine an issue of fact, and to declare such a determination to a court; as, the jury find for the plaintiff. Burrill. [1913 Webster]
find, n.
Anything found; a discovery of anything valuable; especially, a deposit, discovered by archæologists, of objects of prehistoric or unknown origin. [1913 Webster]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
find, v. & n.
--v.tr. (past and past part. found)
1 a discover by chance or effort (found a key). b become aware of. c (absol.) discover game, esp. a fox.
2 a get possession of by chance (found a treasure). b obtain, receive (idea found acceptance). c succeed in obtaining (cannot find the money; can't find time to read). d summon up (found courage to protest). e sl. steal.
3 a seek out and provide (will find you a book). b supply, furnish (each finds his own equipment).
4 ascertain by study or calculation or inquiry (could not find the answer).
5 a perceive or experience (find no sense in it; find difficulty in breathing). b (often in passive) recognize or discover to be present (the word is not found in Shakespeare). c regard or discover from experience (finds England too cold; you'll find it pays; find it impossible to reply).
6 Law (of a jury, judge, etc.) decide and declare (found him guilty; found that he had done it; found it murder).
7 reach by a natural or normal process (water finds its own level).
8 a (of a letter) reach (a person). b (of an address) be adequate to enable a letter etc. to reach (a person).
9 archaic reach the conscience of.
--n.
1 a a discovery of treasure, minerals, etc. b Hunting the finding of a fox.
2 a thing or person discovered, esp. when of value.
--v.tr. (past and past part. found)
1 a discover by chance or effort (found a key). b become aware of. c (absol.) discover game, esp. a fox.
2 a get possession of by chance (found a treasure). b obtain, receive (idea found acceptance). c succeed in obtaining (cannot find the money; can't find time to read). d summon up (found courage to protest). e sl. steal.
3 a seek out and provide (will find you a book). b supply, furnish (each finds his own equipment).
4 ascertain by study or calculation or inquiry (could not find the answer).
5 a perceive or experience (find no sense in it; find difficulty in breathing). b (often in passive) recognize or discover to be present (the word is not found in Shakespeare). c regard or discover from experience (finds England too cold; you'll find it pays; find it impossible to reply).
6 Law (of a jury, judge, etc.) decide and declare (found him guilty; found that he had done it; found it murder).
7 reach by a natural or normal process (water finds its own level).
8 a (of a letter) reach (a person). b (of an address) be adequate to enable a letter etc. to reach (a person).
9 archaic reach the conscience of.
--n.
1 a a discovery of treasure, minerals, etc. b Hunting the finding of a fox.
2 a thing or person discovered, esp. when of value.
Idiom
all found (of an employee's wages) with board and lodging provided free. find against Law decide against (a person), judge to be guilty. find fault see FAULT. find favour prove acceptable. find one's feet
1 become able to walk.
2 develop one's independent ability. find for Law decide in favour of (a person), judge to be innocent. find it in one's heart (esp. with neg.; foll. by to + infin.) prevail upon oneself, be willing.
find oneself
1 discover that one is (woke to find myself in hospital; found herself agreeing).
2 discover one's vocation.
3 provide for one's own needs. find out 1 discover or detect (a wrongdoer etc.).
2 (often foll. by about) get information (find out about holidays abroad).
3 discover (find out where we are).
4 (often foll. by about) discover the truth, a fact, etc. (he never found out).
5 devise.
6 solve. find-spot Archaeol. the place where an object is found.
find one's way
1 (often foll. by to) manage to reach a place.
2 (often foll. by into) be brought or get.
1 become able to walk.
2 develop one's independent ability. find for Law decide in favour of (a person), judge to be innocent. find it in one's heart (esp. with neg.; foll. by to + infin.) prevail upon oneself, be willing.
find oneself
1 discover that one is (woke to find myself in hospital; found herself agreeing).
2 discover one's vocation.
3 provide for one's own needs. find out 1 discover or detect (a wrongdoer etc.).
2 (often foll. by about) get information (find out about holidays abroad).
3 discover (find out where we are).
4 (often foll. by about) discover the truth, a fact, etc. (he never found out).
5 devise.
6 solve. find-spot Archaeol. the place where an object is found.
find one's way
1 (often foll. by to) manage to reach a place.
2 (often foll. by into) be brought or get.
Derivative
findable adj.
Etymology
OE findan f. Gmc
THESAURUS
find
accommodate, accomplish, achieve, acquire, act on, afford, allot, approach, arouse, arrive, arrive at, arrive in, ascertain, assign, attain, attain to, awaken, bargain, be informed, be received, become acquainted with, become aware of, blow in, boast, bob up, bonus, boon, bring to light, bringing to light, broaden the mind, bump into, buried treasure, call up, casual discovery, catch, catch sight of, catching, chance discovery, check in, clock in, clothe, collect, come, come across, come in, come to, come to hand, come up with, command, conclude, condemn, consider, contribute, cram the mind, deal, decide, declare, decree, deduce, derive, descry, detect, detection, determination, determine, determining, diamond, dig up, discern, disclosure, discover, discovery, distinguish, distinguishment, donate, doom, draw a conclusion, draw an inference, encounter, endow, espial, espy, excavation, exhumation, experience, exposure, extract, fall in with, fetch, fetch up at, fill, fill up, find against, find for, find out, find out about, finding, finding out, finger, fix, foundling, fund, furnish, gain, gain knowledge, gather, gather up, gem, get, get back, get hold of, get in, get there, get to, give, glean, godsend, good thing, gravy, hit, hit town, hit upon, hunt down, identify, induce, infer, invent, invention, invest, jewel, judge, keep, lay, learn, learn about, light upon, load the mind, locate, locating, location, lucky strike, maintain, make, make a decision, make available, make it, make provision for, manage, mark, meet with, muster up, note, notice, obtain, order, pass judgment, pass sentence, pearl, perceive, pick up information, plum, point to, pop up, prepare, present, pride, pride and joy, prize, procure, pronounce, pronounce judgment, pronounce on, provide, provide for, pull in, punch in, reach, realize, reason, reason that, recognition, recognize, recoup, recover, recruit, rediscover, rediscovery, regard, remark, replenish, report, repossess, resolve, return a verdict, reveal, revelation, ring in, roll in, rouse, rule, rumble, run down, run to earth, scare up, secure, see, sentence, serendipity, set aside, settle, show up, sight, sign in, spot, spotting, stock, store, strike, subsidize, summon up, supply, support, take as proved, think, time in, trace, trace down, track down, treasure, treasure trove, trophy, trouvaille, trove, tumble to, turn over, turn up, twig, uncover, uncovering, understand, unearth, unearthing, utter a judgment, view, waifs, waifs and strays, win, windfall, windfall money, windfall profit, winner, yieldROGET THESAURUS
find
Provision
VB provide, make provision, make due provision for, lay in, lay in a stock, lay in a store, supply, suppeditate, furnish, find, find one in, arm, cater, victual, provision, purvey, forage, beat up for, stock, stock with, make good, replenish, fill, fill up, recruit, feed, have in store, have in reserve, keep, keep by one, keep on foot, keep on hand, have to fall back upon, store, provide against a rainy day.Acquisition
N acquisition, gaining, obtainment, procuration, procurement, purchase, descent, inheritance, gift, recovery, retrieval, revendication, replevin, restitution, redemption, salvage, trover, find, trouvaille, foundling, gain, thrift, money-making, money grubbing, lucre, filthy lucre, pelf, loaves and fishes, the main chance, emolument, profit, earnings, winnings, innings, pickings, net profit, avails, income, proceeds, produce, product, outcome, output, return, fruit, crop, harvest, second crop, aftermath, benefit, sweepstakes, trick, prize, pool, pot, wealth, subreption, obreption, stealing, acquiring, acquired, profitable, advantageous, gainful, remunerative, paying, lucrative, lucri causa.VB acquire, get, gain, win, earn, obtain, procure, gather, collect, pick, pickup, glean, find, come upon, pitch upon, light upon, scrape up, scrape together, get in, reap and carry, net, bag, sack, bring home, secure, derive, draw, get in the harvest, profit, make profit, draw profit, turn a quick profit, turn to profit, turn to account, make capital out of, make money by, obtain a return, reap the fruits of, reap an advantage, gain an advantage, turn a penny, turn an honest penny, make the pot boil, bring grist to the mill, make money, coin money, raise money, raise funds, raise the wind, fill one's pocket, treasure up, realize, clear, produce, take, get back, recover, regain, retrieve, revendicate, replevy, redeem, come by one's own, come by, come in for, receive, inherit, step into a fortune, step into the shoes of, succeed to, get hold of, get between one's finger and thumb, get into one's hand, get at, take possession, come into possession, enter into possession, be profitable, pay, answer, accrue.
Eventuality
VB happen, occur, take place, take effect, come, become of, come off, comeabout, come round, come into existence, come forth, come to pass, come on, pass, present itself, fall, fall out, turn out, run, be on foot, fall in, befall, betide, bechance, prove, eventuate, draw on, turn up, crop up, spring up, pop up, arise, show up, show its face, appear, come forth, cast up, supervene, survene, issue, arrive, ensue, arise, start, hold, take its course, pass off, meet with, experience, enjoy, encounter, undergo, suffer, pass through, go through, be subjected to, be exposed to, fall to the lot of, be one's chance, be one's fortune, be one's lot, find, endure.Judgment
VB judge, conclude, come to a conclusion, draw a conclusion, arrive at a conclusion, ascertain, determine, make up one's mind, deduce, derive, gather, collect, draw an inference, make a deduction, weet, ween, form an estimate, estimate, appreciate, value, count, assess, rate, rank, account, regard, consider, think of, look upon, review, size up, settle, pass an opinion, give an opinion, decide, try, pronounce, rule, pass judgment, pass sentence, sentence, doom, find, give judgment, deliver judgment, adjudge, adjudicate, arbitrate, award, report, bring in a verdict, make absolute, set a question at rest, confirm, comment, criticize, kibitz, pass under review, investigate, hold the scales, sit in judgment, try judgment, hear a cause.Discovery
N discovery, detection, disenchantment, ascertainment, disclosure, find, revelation, trover.VB discover, find, determine, evolve, learn, fix upon, pick up, find out, trace out, make out, hunt out, fish out, worm out, ferret out, root out, fathom, bring out, draw out, educe, elicit, bring to light, dig out, grub up, fish up, unearth, disinter, solve, resolve, elucidate, unriddle, unravel, unlock, crack, crack open, pick up, open the lock, find a clue, find clew a to, find the key to the riddle, interpret, disclose, trace, get at, hit it, have it, lay one's finger, lay one's hands upon, spot, get at the truth, arrive at the truth, put the saddle on the right horse, hit the right nail on the head, be near the truth, be warm, get warmer, burn, smoke, scent, sniff, catch a whiff of, smell a rat, open the eyes to, see through, see daylight, see in its true colors, see the cloven foot, detect, catch, catch tripping, pitch upon, fall upon, light upon, hit upon, stumble upon, pop upon, come across, come onto, meet with, meet up with, fall in with, recognize, realize, verify, make certain of, identify, Int, eureka!, aha!, I've got it!.
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