/decide/synonyms

/decide/

-) Verb.

-) Pronunciation and accent: dɪsaɪd. 

-) Etymology: from French décider, from Latin decidere (to cut off; to decide, determine), from de- + -cædĕre (to cut) 

-) Preterite tense: decided (dɪsaɪdɪd).

-) Preterite participle: decided  (dɪsaɪdɪd).

-) Present participle: deciding.

-) Transitively: -) 1. (The subject: a person) to make cease (a controversy, question, cause, etc.) by a decision; to end or determine (a controversial action or process) by assigning explicitly or implicitly the victory to one person or the other, or by taking a decisive conclusion.

-) Translation: décider, in French; decidir, in Spanish; decidere, in Italian.

The reader may be pleased to remember, that, in the ninth chapter of the seventh book of our history, we left Sophia, after a long debate between love and duty, deciding the cause, as it usually, I believe, happens, in favour of the former.

Fielding… The history of Tom… 1749

… the question nevertheless was decided against him.

Mackintosh… The history of England… 1839

There are a lot of documents to examine, and questions to decide.

T. Knox… The Oriental World… 1879

[The] man was then left practically penniless, a suit at law concerning the interpretation of the loan-agreement being decided against him.

H. Newmark… Sixty Years… 1916

 There were questions he must decide then and there.

Erle Cox… Out of the Silence… 1919

-) With a subordinate interrogative clause, by which the question is designated:

… it would have been difficult to decide who was the most gratified of the three.

E. Pickering… The Heiress… 1833

Sydney Carton paused in the street, not quite decided where to go.

Dickens… A Tale… 1859

They were about to leave Florence, but had not decided where to go.

Stretton… Mr. and Mrs. Asheton… 1860

If a marriageable youth has a mother, she describes to him the girls of her acquaintance, and enables him to decide whom to take to his house and home.

T. Knox… The Oriental World… 1879

Both displayed such strength and skill that it could not be decided which was the victor, and so a prize of equal value was given to each.

M. Clarke… The Story of Troy… 1897

It has never been finally decided whether his great discovery was the result of accident or of deliberate experiments.

Erle Cox… Out of the Silence… 1919

There had been a few minute's silence, during which Doris had tried to decide for herself whether she had heard aright or not.

Erle Cox… Out of the Silence… 1919

-) 2. To take or make (a decision) after deliberation; to make (a decisive opinion) after having been in a state of indecision.

-) Synonyms for “decide”: resolve, make up.

Tell me […] what you decide about our plan.

Fanny Burney… The Wanderer… 1814

I will tell you in a postscript what we decide to do.

Dickens… The Letters … 1880

-) With a clause or an infinitive as the object:

[…] he continued to clear away the clay with undiminished vigour, and soon found that his advance had been stopped by a smooth surface, which, until he had completed its clearance, he decided not to examine.

Erle Cox… Out of the Silence… 1919

Leaving his lamp on the last step, he made his way across the now lighted vestibule and through the great doorway. He decided to go right through to the end of the gallery where he had hitherto not penetrated, and then attempt the other doors.

Erle Cox… Out of the Silence… 1919

Then we had [… a] discussion with the guide. None of us wished to undertake the ascent, […] and so we decided to let the guide do it for us.

Thomas Knox… The oriental world… 1879

When I first saw her at Chelsea, I had decided that hers were the most beautiful hands in the world.

J. Ironside… The Red Symbol… 1910

It was decided that, during her husband's absence, Mrs. John Grey should reside in Guernsey.

W. Russell… Recollections… 1852

-) 3. (The subject: a thing) to make cease (controversy, question, cause, etc.)

I will […] give you copies of letters which will decide the question as to the correctness of Mr. Howell’s statements.

The Asiatic Journal… 1839

The admission of this principle would apparently decide the controversy.

H. Hallam…  Literature of Europe… 1855

-) 4. (The subject: a thing or a person) to influence (a person) to make a decision or decisive opinion.

The thought of having her father with her any part of her stay in London, and of returning home with him, decided Catherine.

Elizabeth Strutt… Chances and changes… 1835

It was a grim, dark abyss, and, should he enter it, he saw not how he should ever make his exit. But a nearer shout, and the sounds of galloping horsemen, decided him. He entered it foot-foremost, hung by his hands for a moment to the orifice, in hesitation. 

Henry Herbert… Wager of Battle… 1855

The first sight of Mrs. Hungerford […] decided him in the opinion…

M. Edgeworth… Tales and Novels… 1874

-) With the preposition “to” + infinitive, by which the decision is designated:

I rose to depart, but, yielding at last to the wishes of Mr. Conyers, the host, and others, retook my seat. Better had I gone then; but some words from Durnsford decided me to stay.

Ellen Pickering… The Squire… 1837

I want to go to South America and the Pacific islands. Earwaker has a friend, who has just come back from travel in the tropics; the talk about it has half decided me to leave England.

Gissing… Born in Exile… 1892

-) Intransitively: -) 1. To make cease a controversy, question, cause, etc. by a decision; to be the decider of a controversial theme.

 Frank's father, having heard all that the horse-dealer had to say, now turned to Frank, and told him, that he might decide for himself, whether he wished to keep the horse or not. 

"Thank you. Papa," said "Frank, "but I do not know any thing about horses, and I would rather that you would decide for me."

Edgeworth… Frank… 1825

-) With the preposition “between”:

… it's very difficult for such as you to decide between the true and the false.

G. Reynolds… The mysteries of London… 1844

"There—you're going to quarrel about me," said Miss Eliza. "I shall go."

 "One moment," said James. "Decide between us."

The New Monthly Magazine… 1853

Clive had found it difficult to decide between conflicting pretensions.

Macaulay… Essays… 1860

-) With the preposition “for”:

Decisions that involved what seemed to be the very stronghold of his situation, had to be taken without a moment's warning.  He decided for or against without knowing why.

Frank Norris… The Pit… 1798

Perhaps, before this reaches you, we'll have decided for one or the other.

Charles Lever… The Dodd Family Abroad… 1895

-) With the preposition “against”:

Council of war called by general Washington, decide against attacking the enemy on their march.

John Marshall… G. Washington… 1805

… he told me that he had decided against my wishes.

George James… A book of the passions… 1839

Mrs. Lander would have liked Clementina to take all the lessons that she heard any of the other young ladies in the hotel were taking. One of them went in town every day, and studied drawing at an art-school, and she wanted Clementina to do that, too. But Clementina would not do that; she had tried often enough at home […]. She decided against piano lessons and singing lessons, too; she did not care for either, and she pleaded that it would be a waste to study them; but she suggested dancing lessons.

Howells… Ragged… 1899

-) With the preposition “on” + noun of the theme:

He had, as it were, extracted and devoured the kernel, while you were attempting to decide on the best method of breaking the shell.

Warren… Diary of a late physician… 1830

[Robin] hesitated whether to retreat or remain still; he decided on the latter.

Pierce Egan… Robin Hood… 1840

You shall hear his story yourselves, and yourselves decide on its truthfulness.

Charles Lever… Barrington… 1907

-) With the preposition “upon” + noun of the theme:

… after a long conversation with him, I retired to think the matter over, and decide upon the likeliest mode of action.

Russell… Recollections… 1852

"It is a very serious thing to decide upon," he said, when his son had spoken to him.

Trollope… The Claverings… 1866

Mrs. Maroney said she would write to Nat. and explain the matter, but said she would like to find out who had written to her husband. Madam Imbert and she cogitated over the subject for some time, but could not decide upon any particular person.

Pinkerton… The Expressman… 1874

-) 2. To make a decision after deliberation; to take a decisive opinion or conclusion, after having been in a state of indecision.

-) Synonyms: make up one's mind; determine, resolve. 

-) With the preposition “on” + a noun or a gerund, by which the decision is designated:

'Do you then decide on sleeping here, general?' said Lady Mary.

Laetitia Hawkins… Heraline… 1821

He requested that she would not decide on anything until his return, which would be in a fortnight, and enclosed a cheque for twenty pounds, the amount of the quarter's salary.

The New Monthly Magazine… 1853

At one time I resolved to leave school directly; but, on second thoughts, I decided on going there again.

Ainsworth… Mervyn Clitheroe 1858

On the way I heard that a bullock was killed every Thursday in Yokote, and had decided on having a broiled steak for supper and taking another with me.

Isabella Bird… Unbeaten Tracks in Japan… 1880

-) With the preposition “upon”:

This circumstance greatly augmenting the danger of our present situation, with little prospect of farther success in the fishery to counterbalance it, induced us to decide upon leaving the coast of Greenland with the first opportunity.

Scoresby… Journal of a voyage… 1823

-) Words derived from the verb decide: decided, decidedly, decidedness, decider, deciding, decidingly, undecidable, undecidability, undecided, undecision, undecisive, undecisively, undecisiveness, indecision, indecisive, indecisively, indecisiveness, decisive, decisiveness, decisively.

-) Words derived from Latin -cædĕre, see CONCISE.