describe

verb

Etymology: From Middle English descriven, from Old French descrivre, from Latin dēscrībō (“to copy off, transcribe, sketch off, describe in painting or writing”), from dē (“off”) + scrībō (“write”); see scribe and shrive. Displaced native Old English āmearcian.

1. To represent in words.

   “The feeling is difficult to describe, but not unpleasant.”

   “The geographer describes countries and cities.”

2. To represent by drawing; to draw a plan of; to delineate; to trace or mark out.

   “to describe a circle by the compasses; a torch waved about the head in such a way as to describe a circle”

   “Uncas described an arc in the water with his own blade, and as the canoe passed swiftly on, Chingachgook recovered his paddle, and flourishing it on high, he gave the war-whoop of the Mohicans.”

3. To give rise to a geometrical structure.

   “The function describes a very complex surface.”

4. To introduce a new taxon to science by explaining its characteristics and particularly how it differs from other taxa.

   “The fungus was first described by a botanist.”

5. To distribute into parts, groups, or classes; to mark off; to class.

   “Passed through the land, and described it by cities into seven parts in a book.”