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To state the precise meaning of (a word or sense of a word, for example).
(verb-transitive)
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To describe the nature or basic qualities of; explain: define the properties of a new drug; a study that defines people according to their median incomes.
(verb-transitive)
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To delineate the outline or form of: gentle hills that were defined against the sky.
(verb-transitive)
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To specify distinctly: define the weapons to be used in limited warfare.
(verb-transitive)
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To give form or meaning to: "For him, a life is defined by action” ( Jay Parini).
(verb-transitive)
American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.