• Find

    Pronunciation

    • enPR: fÄ«nd, IPA: /faɪnd/
    • Rhymes: -aɪnd
    • Homophones: fined

    Origin

    From Middle English finden, from Old English findan, from Proto-Germanic *finþaną (compare West Frisian fine, Low German finden, Dutch vinden, German finden, Danish finde, Swedish finna), a secondary verb from Proto-Indo-European *pent- ("to go, pass; path bridge"), *pontHo- (compare Old Irish étain ("I find"), áitt ("place"), Latin pōns ("bridge"), Ancient Greek (póntos, "sea"), Old Armenian հուն (hun, "ford"), Avestan (pantā) (gen. paþō), Sanskrit (pánthās, "path").

    Verb

    1. (transitive) To encounter or discover by accident; to happen upon.
      • ShakespeareSearching the window for a flint, I found
        This paper, thus sealed up.
      • CowleyIn woods and forests thou art found.
    2. (transitive) To encounter or discover something being searched for; to locate.
      I found my car keys. They were under the couch.
      • 1898, Winston Churchill, The Celebrity Chapter 2, I had occasion … to make a somewhat long business trip to Chicago, and on my return … I found Farrar awaiting me in the railway station. He smiled his wonted fraction by way of greeting, …, and finally leading me to his buggy, turned and drove out of town.
      • 1918, W. B. Maxwell, The Mirror and the Lamp Chapter 10, It was a joy to snatch some brief respite, and find himself in the rectory drawing–room. Listening here was as pleasant as talking; just to watch was pleasant.
      • 2011, January 25, Paul Fletcher, Arsenal 3-0 Ipswich (agg. 3-1), Van Persie scored a hat-trick against Wigan on Saturday and should have found the net again after Bendtner found him at the far post but the Dutchman's header rebounded to safety off the crossbar.
      • 2013-07-20, Welcome to the plastisphere, Plastics are energy-rich substances, which is why many of them burn so readily. Any organism that could unlock and use that energy would do well in the Anthropocene. Terrestrial bacteria and fungi which can manage this trick are already familiar to experts in the field. Dr Mincer and Dr Amaral-Zettler found evidence of them on their marine plastic, too.
    3. (transitive) To point out.
      He kept finding faults with my work.
    4. (transitive) To decide that, to discover that, to form the opinion that.
      I find your argument unsatisfactory.
      • ShakespeareI find you passing gentle.
      • CowleyThe torrid zone is now found habitable.
      • 1922, Ben Travers, A Cuckoo in the Nest Chapter 1, “… the awfully hearty sort of Christmas cards that people do send to other people that they don't know at all well. You know. The kind that have mottoes.... And then, when you see senders, you probably find that they are the most melancholy old folk with malignant diseases. …”
    5. (intransitive) To determine or judge.
      The jury finds for the defendant.
    6. (transitive) To arrive at, as a conclusion; to determine as true; to establish.to find a verdict; to find a true bill (of indictment) against an accused person
      • Shakespeareto find his title with some shows of truth
    7. To discover by study or experiment direct to an object or end.Water is found to be a compound substance.
    8. To gain, as the object of desire or effort.to find leisure; to find means
    9. To attain to; to arrive at; to acquire.
    10. (archaic) To provide for; to supply; to furnish.to find food for workmenHe finds his nephew in money.
      • London TimesWages £14 and all found.
      • Charles DickensNothing a day and find yourself.

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    Derived terms

    See also finding and found

    Full definition of find

    Noun

    find

    (plural finds)
    1. Anything that is found (usually valuable), as objects on an archeological site or a person with talent.
    2. The act of finding.

    Synonyms

    Anagrams

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