*deter*

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Deterged p. pr. & vb. n. Deterging. ] [ L. detergere, detersum; de + tergere to rub or wipe off: cf. F. déterger. ] To cleanse; to purge away, as foul or offending matter from the body, or from an ulcer. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A cleansing quality or power. De Foe. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. detergens, -entis, p. pr. of detergere: cf. F. détergent. ] Cleansing; purging. -- n. A substance which cleanses the skin, as water or soap; a medicine to cleanse wounds, ulcers, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Deteriorated p. pr. & vb. n. Deteriorating ] [ L. deterioratus, p. p. of deteriorare to deteriorate, fr. deterior worse, prob. a comparative fr. de down, away. ] To make worse; to make inferior in quality or value; to impair; as, to deteriorate the mind. Whately. [ 1913 Webster ]

The art of war . . . was greatly deteriorated. Southey. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To grow worse; to be impaired in quality; to degenerate. [ 1913 Webster ]

Under such conditions, the mind rapidly deteriorates. Goldsmith. [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. going from better to worse.
Syn. -- declining, failing, regressing, retrograde, retrogressive. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ LL. deterioratio: cf. F. détérioration. ] The process of growing worse, or the state of having grown worse. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. deterior worse. See Deteriorate. ] Worse state or quality; inferiority. “The deteriority of the diet.” [ R. ] Ray. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ From Deter. ] The act of deterring; also, that which deters. Boyle. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The quality of being determinable; determinableness. Coleridge. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. determinabilis finite. See Determine, v. t. ] Capable of being determined, definitely ascertained, decided upon, or brought to a conclusion. [ 1913 Webster ]

Not wholly determinable from the grammatical use of the words. South. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Capability of being determined; determinability. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Determinateness. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. determinans, p. pr. of determinare: cf. F. déterminant. ] Serving to determine or limit; determinative. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. That which serves to determine; that which causes determination. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Math.) The sum of a series of products of several numbers, these products being formed according to certain specified laws; thus, the determinant of the nine numbers
a, b, c, a′, b′, c′, a′′, b′′, c′′,
is a b′ c′′ - a b′′ c′ + a′ b′′ c ] - a′ b c′′ + a′′ b′ c. The determinant is written by placing the numbers from which it is formed in a square between two vertical lines. The theory of determinants forms a very important branch of modern mathematics. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Logic) A mark or attribute, attached to the subject or predicate, narrowing the extent of both, but rendering them more definite and precise. Abp. Thomson. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. determinatus, p. p. of determinare. See Determine. ] 1. Having defined limits; not uncertain or arbitrary; fixed; established; definite. [ 1913 Webster ]

Quantity of words and a determinate number of feet. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Conclusive; decisive; positive. [ 1913 Webster ]

The determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God. Acts ii. 23. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Determined or resolved upon. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

My determinate voyage. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Of determined purpose; resolute. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

More determinate to do than skillful how to do. Sir P. Sidney. [ 1913 Webster ]

Determinate inflorescence (Bot.), that in which the flowering commences with the terminal bud of a stem, which puts a limit to its growth; -- also called centrifugal inflorescence. --
Determinate problem (Math.), a problem which admits of a limited number of solutions. --
Determinate quantities,
Determinate equations (Math.), those that are finite in the number of values or solutions, that is, in which the conditions of the problem or equation determine the number. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To bring to an end; to determine. See Determine. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

The sly, slow hours shall not determinate
The dateless limit of thy dear exile. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. 1. In a determinate manner; definitely; ascertainably. [ 1913 Webster ]

The principles of religion are already either determinately true or false, before you think of them. Tillotson. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Resolutely; unchangeably. [ 1913 Webster ]

Being determinately . . . bent to marry. Sir P. Sidney. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. State of being determinate. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. determinatio boundary, end: cf. F. détermination. ] 1. The act of determining, or the state of being determined. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Bringing to an end; termination; limit. [ 1913 Webster ]

A speedy determination of that war. Ludlow. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Direction or tendency to a certain end; impulsion. [ 1913 Webster ]

Remissness can by no means consist with a constant determination of the will . . . to the greatest apparent good. Locke. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. The quality of mind which reaches definite conclusions; decision of character; resoluteness. [ 1913 Webster ]

He only is a well-made man who has a good determination. Emerson. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. The state of decision; a judicial decision, or ending of controversy. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. That which is determined upon; result of deliberation; purpose; conclusion formed; fixed resolution. [ 1913 Webster ]

So bloodthirsty a determination to obtain convictions. Hallam. [ 1913 Webster ]

7. (Med.) A flow, rush, or tendency to a particular part; as, a determination of blood to the head. [ 1913 Webster ]

8. (Physical Sciences) The act, process, or result of any accurate measurement, as of length, volume, weight, intensity, etc.; as, the determination of the ohm or of the wave length of light; the determination of the salt in sea water, or the oxygen in the air. [ 1913 Webster ]

9. (Logic) (a) The act of defining a concept or notion by giving its essential constituents. (b) The addition of a differentia to a concept or notion, thus limiting its extent; -- the opposite of generalization. [ 1913 Webster ]

10. (Nat. Hist.) The act of determining the relations of an object, as regards genus and species; the referring of minerals, plants, or animals, to the species to which they belong; classification; as, I am indebted to a friend for the determination of most of these shells.

Syn. -- Decision; conclusion; judgment; purpose; resolution; resolve; firmness. See Decision. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Cf. F. déterminatif. ] Having power to determine; limiting; shaping; directing; conclusive. [ 1913 Webster ]

Incidents . . . determinative of their course. I. Taylor. [ 1913 Webster ]

Determinative tables (Nat. Hist.), tables presenting the specific character of minerals, plants, etc., to assist in determining the species to which a specimen belongs. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. That which serves to determine. [ 1913 Webster ]

Explanatory determinatives . . . were placed after words phonetically expressed, in order to serve as an aid to the reader in determining the meaning. I. Taylor (The Alphabet). [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. ] One who determines. [ R. ] Sir T. Browne. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Determined p. pr. & vb. n. Determining. ] [ F. déterminer, L. determinare, determinatum; de + terminare limit, terminus limit. See Term. ] 1. To fix the boundaries of; to mark off and separate. [ 1913 Webster ]

[ God ] hath determined the times before appointed. Acts xvii. 26. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To set bounds to; to fix the determination of; to limit; to bound; to bring to an end; to finish. [ 1913 Webster ]

The knowledge of men hitherto hath been determined by the view or sight. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

Now, where is he that will not stay so long
Till his friend sickness hath determined me? Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To fix the form or character of; to shape; to prescribe imperatively; to regulate; to settle. [ 1913 Webster ]

The character of the soul is determined by the character of its God. J. Edwards. [ 1913 Webster ]

Something divinely beautiful . . . that at some time or other might influence or even determine her course of life. W. Black. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. To fix the course of; to impel and direct; -- with a remoter object preceded by to; as, another's will determined me to this course. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. To ascertain definitely; to find out the specific character or name of; to assign to its true place in a system; as, to determine an unknown or a newly discovered plant or its name. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. To bring to a conclusion, as a question or controversy; to settle authoritative or judicial sentence; to decide; as, the court has determined the cause. [ 1913 Webster ]

7. To resolve on; to have a fixed intention of; also, to cause to come to a conclusion or decision; to lead; as, this determined him to go immediately. [ 1913 Webster ]

8. (Logic) To define or limit by adding a differentia. [ 1913 Webster ]

9. (Physical Sciences) To ascertain the presence, quantity, or amount of; as, to determine the parallax; to determine the salt in sea water. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. 1. To come to an end; to end; to terminate. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

He who has vented a pernicious doctrine or published an ill book must know that his life determine not together. South. [ 1913 Webster ]

Estates may determine on future contingencies. Blackstone. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To come to a decision; to decide; to resolve; -- often with on. “Determine on some course.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

He shall pay as the judges determine. Ex. xxi. 22. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Decided; resolute. “Adetermined foe.” Sparks. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a determined manner; with determination. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who, or that which, determines or decides. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Metaph.) The doctrine that the will is not free, but is inevitably and invincibly determined by motives, preceding events, and natural laws. [ 1913 Webster ]

Its superior suitability to produce courage, as contrasted with scientific physical determinism, is obvious. F. P. Cobbe. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Metaph.) One who believes in determinism. Also adj.; as, determinist theories. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. 1. of or pertaining to determinism; as, deterministic theories. [ PJC ]

2. causally determined and not subject to random chance. [ PJC ]

n. [ L. de + terra earth: cf. F. déterrer to unearth. ] The uncovering of anything buried or covered with earth; a taking out of the earth or ground. Woodward. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. That which deters; a deterrent; a hindrance. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. That which deters or prevents. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. deterrens, p. pr. of deterrere. See Deter. ] Serving to deter. “The deterrent principle.” E. Davis. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. détersion. See Deterge. ] The act of deterging or cleansing, as a sore. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Cf. détersif. ] Cleansing; detergent. -- n. A cleansing agent; a detergent. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a way to cleanse. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The quality of cleansing. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To determine or decree beforehand. Bp. Hopkins. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. indeterminabilis: cf. F. indéterminable. See In- not, and Determine. ] Not determinable; impossible to be determined; not to be definitely known, ascertained, defined, or limited. -- In`de*ter"mi*na*bly, adv. [1913 Webster]

n. An indeterminable thing or quantity. Sir T. Browne. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. indeterminatus. ] Not determinate; not certain or fixed; indefinite; not precise; as, an indeterminate number of years. Paley. [ 1913 Webster ]

Indeterminate analysis (Math.), that branch of analysis which has for its object the solution of indeterminate problems. --
Indeterminate coefficients (Math.), coefficients arbitrarily assumed for convenience of calculation, or to facilitate some artifice of analysis. Their values are subsequently determined. --
Indeterminate equation (Math.), an equation in which the unknown quantities admit of an infinite number of values, or sets of values. A group of equations is indeterminate when it contains more unknown quantities than there are equations. --
Indeterminate inflorescence (Bot.), a mode of inflorescence in which the flowers all arise from axillary buds, the terminal bud going on to grow and sometimes continuing the stem indefinitely; -- called also acropetal inflorescence, botryose inflorescence, centripetal inflorescence, and indefinite inflorescence. Gray. --
Indeterminate problem (Math.), a problem which admits of an infinite number of solutions, or one in which there are fewer imposed conditions than there are unknown or required results. --
Indeterminate quantity (Math.), a quantity which has no fixed value, but which may be varied in accordance with any proposed condition. --
Indeterminate series (Math.), a series whose terms proceed by the powers of an indeterminate quantity, sometimes also with indeterminate exponents, or indeterminate coefficients.

-- In`de*ter"mi*nate*ly adv. -- In`de*ter"mi*nate*ness, n. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Pref. in- not + determination: cf. indétermination. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. Lack of determination; an unsettled or wavering state, as of the mind. Jer. Taylor. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Lack of fixed or stated direction. Abp. Bramhall. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Undetermined. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Capable of being determined beforehand. Coleridge. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Determined beforehand; as, the predeterminate counsel of God. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. prédétermination. ] The act of previous determination; a purpose formed beforehand; as, the predetermination of God's will. Hammond. [ 1913 Webster ]