The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Publish \Pub"lish\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Published; p. pr. &
   vb. n. Publishing.] [F. publier, L. publicare, publicatum.
   See Public, and -ish.]
   1. To make public; to make known to mankind, or to people in
      general; to divulge, as a private transaction; to
      promulgate or proclaim, as a law or an edict.
      [1913 Webster]

            Published was the bounty of her name. --Chaucer.
      [1913 Webster]

            The unwearied sun, from day to day,
            Does his Creator's power display,
            And publishes to every land
            The work of an almighty hand.         --Addison.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. To make known by posting, or by reading in a church; as,
      to publish banns of marriage.
      [1913 Webster]

   3. To send forth, as a book, newspaper, musical piece, or
      other printed work, either for sale or for general
      distribution; to print, and issue from the press.
      [1913 Webster]

   4. To utter, or put into circulation; as, to publish
      counterfeit paper. [U.S.]
      [1913 Webster]

   To publish a will (Law), to acknowledge it before the
      witnesses as the testator's last will and testament.
      [1913 Webster]

   Syn: To announce; proclaim; advertise; declare; promulgate;
        disclose; divulge; reveal. See Announce.
        [1913 Webster]

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Announce \An*nounce"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Announced; p. pr. &
   vb. n. Announcing.] [OF. anoncier, F. annoncer, fr. L.
   annuntiare; ad + nuntiare to report, relate, nuntius
   messenger, bearer of news. See Nuncio, and cf.
   Annunciate.]
   [1913 Webster]
   1. To give public notice, or first notice of; to make known;
      to publish; to proclaim.
      [1913 Webster]

            Her [Q. Elizabeth's] arrival was announced through
            the country by a peal of cannon from the ramparts.
                                                  --Gilpin.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. To pronounce; to declare by judicial sentence.
      [1913 Webster]

            Publish laws, announce
            Or life or death.                     --Prior.
      [1913 Webster]

   Syn: To proclaim; publish; make known; herald; declare;
        promulgate.

   Usage: To Publish, Announce, Proclaim, Promulgate. We
          publish what we give openly to the world, either by
          oral communication or by means of the press; as, to
          publish abroad the faults of our neighbors. We
          announce what we declare by anticipation, or make
          known for the first time; as, to announce the speedy
          publication of a book; to announce the approach or
          arrival of a distinguished personage. We proclaim
          anything to which we give the widest publicity; as, to
          proclaim the news of victory. We promulgate when
          we proclaim more widely what has before been known by
          some; as, to promulgate the gospel.
          [1913 Webster]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

publish
    v 1: put into print; "The newspaper published the news of the
         royal couple's divorce"; "These news should not be printed"
         [syn: print, publish]
    2: prepare and issue for public distribution or sale; "publish a
       magazine or newspaper" [syn: publish, bring out, put
       out, issue, release]
    3: have (one's written work) issued for publication; "How many
       books did Georges Simenon write?"; "She published 25 books
       during her long career" [syn: publish, write]

The Devil's Dictionary (1881-1906):

PUBLISH, n.  In literary affairs, to become the fundamental element in
a cone of critics.