decern
To decree by judicial sentenceTo decree (something) by judicial sentence.: To decree by judicial sentence that something be done.
Meaning
6 sensesTo decree (something) by judicial sentence.
(intransitive, sometimes, transitive)To decree by judicial sentence that something be done.
(intransitive, sometimes, transitive)To decree a person etc. to be or to do something by judicial sentence. (in the phrase “to decern in”, obsolete) To mulct in by decree of court.
To see distinctly (with the eyes or the mind); distinguish (an object or fact); discern.
(obsolete, transitive)To decide or determine (a matter disputed or doubtful), with simple object, with infinitive or object clause, or intransitive.
(obsolete, transitive)To discern; to distinguish or separate by differences (things that differ, or one thing from another).
To discern; to distinguish or separate by differences (things that differ, or one thing from another).
(intransitive, obsolete, transitive)To distinguish; to discriminate between.
Origin
First attested in late Middle English circa 1425; from the French décerner, from the LatinFirst attested in late Middle English circa 1425; from the French décerner, from the Latin dēcernō (“to decide, pronounce a decision”), from dē (“of, from, away from”) + cernō (“to separate, distinguish”), whence the English cern. In Old French, the forms of décerner were frequently conflated with those of descerner, discerner; the two verbs were not clearly distinguished until the 16th century; hence, in English also, decern is found with the sense discern.
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Forms
decerns, decerning, decerned, decernedWord family
1 related wordsLessons for this word
3 lessons- A1Present simple — Because it is a verb
- A1Past simple, regular verbs — Because of its past form
- A2Present perfect: introduction — Because of its past participle