find

Noun · Verb
Synonyms: discoverybreakthroughuncoveringhappenchancebumpencounterdetectobservediscovernoticeregain

WordNet 3.0

Noun (2)

  1. a productive insightSynonyms: discoverybreakthrough
  2. the act of discovering somethingSynonyms: discoveryuncovering

Verb (16)

  1. come upon, as if by accident; meet with“We find this idea in Plato”“I happened upon the most wonderful bakery not very far from here”“She chanced upon an interesting book in the bookstore the other day”Synonyms: happenchancebumpencounter
  2. discover or determine the existence, presence, or fact of“She detected high levels of lead in her drinking water”“We found traces of lead in the paint”Synonyms: detectobservediscovernotice
  3. come upon after searching; find the location of something that was missed or lost“Did you find your glasses?”“I cannot find my gloves!”Synonyms: regain
  4. establish after a calculation, investigation, experiment, survey, or study“find the product of two numbers”“The physicist who found the elusive particle won the Nobel Prize”Synonyms: determinefind outascertain
  5. come to believe on the basis of emotion, intuitions, or indefinite grounds“I feel that he doesn't like me”“I find him to be obnoxious”“I found the movie rather entertaining”Synonyms: feel
  6. perceive or be contemporaneous with“We found Republicans winning the offices”“You'll see a lot of cheating in this school”“The 1960's saw the rebellion of the younger generation against established traditions”“I want to see results”Synonyms: witnesssee
  7. get something or somebody for a specific purpose“I found this gadget that will serve as a bottle opener”“I got hold of these tools to fix our plumbing”“The chairman got hold of a secretary on Friday night to type the urgent letter”Synonyms: line upget holdcome up
  8. make a discovery, make a new finding“Roentgen discovered X-rays”“Physicists believe they found a new elementary particle”Synonyms: discover
  9. make a discovery“She found that he had lied to her”“The story is false, so far as I can discover”Synonyms: discover
  10. obtain through effort or management“She found the time and energy to take care of her aging parents”“We found the money to send our sons to college”
  11. decide on and make a declaration about“find someone guilty”Synonyms: rule
  12. receive a specified treatment (abstract)“These aspects of civilization do not find expression or receive an interpretation”“His movie received a good review”“I got nothing but trouble for my good intentions”Synonyms: receivegetobtainincur
  13. perceive oneself to be in a certain condition or place“I found myself in a difficult situation”“When he woke up, he found himself in a hospital room”
  14. get or find back; recover the use of“She regained control of herself”“She found her voice and replied quickly”Synonyms: recoverretrieveregain
  15. succeed in reaching; arrive at“The arrow found its mark”
  16. accept and make use of one's personality, abilities, and situation“My son went to Berkeley to find himself”Synonyms: find oneself
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Webster's Dictionary (GCIDE)

Find \Find\ (f[imac]nd), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Found (found); p. pr. & vb. n. Finding.] [AS. findan; akin to D. vinden, OS. & OHG. findan, G. finden, Dan. finde, icel. & Sw. finna, Goth. fin[thorn]an; and perh. to L. petere to seek, Gr. pi`ptein to fall, Skr. pat to fall, fly, E. petition.]

1.To meet with, or light upon, accidentally; to gain the first sight or knowledge of, as of something new, or unknown; hence, to fall in with, as a person. [1913 Webster]

Searching the window for a flint, I found This paper, thus sealed up.— Shak.[1913 Webster]
In woods and forests thou art found.— Cowley.[1913 Webster]

2.To learn by experience or trial; to perceive; to experience; to discover by the intellect or the feelings; to detect; to feel. "I find you passing gentle." --Shak. [1913 Webster]

The torrid zone is now found habitable.— Cowley.[1913 Webster]

3.To come upon by seeking; as, to find something lost. (a) To discover by sounding; as, to find bottom. (b) To discover by study or experiment direct to an object or end; as, water is found to be a compound substance. (c) To gain, as the object of desire or effort; as, to find leisure; to find means. (d) To attain to; to arrive at; to acquire. [1913 Webster]

Seek, and ye shall find.— Matt. vii. 7.[1913 Webster]
Every mountain now hath found a tongue.— Byron.[1913 Webster]

4.To provide for; to supply; to furnish; as, to find food for workemen; he finds his nephew in money. [1913 Webster]

Wages [pounds]14 and all found.— London Times.[1913 Webster]
Nothing a day and find yourself.— Dickens.[1913 Webster]

5.To arrive at, as a conclusion; to determine as true; to establish; as, to find a verdict; to find a true bill (of indictment) against an accused person. [1913 Webster]

To find his title with some shows of truth.— Shak.[1913 Webster]

To find out, to detect (a thief); to discover (a secret) -- to solve or unriddle (a parable or enigma); to understand. "Canst thou by searching find out God?" --Job. xi. 7. "We do hope to find out all your tricks." --Milton.

To find fault with, to blame; to censure.

To find one's self, to be; to fare; -- often used in speaking of health; as, how do you find yourself this morning? [1913 Webster]

Find \Find\, v. i. (Law) To determine an issue of fact, and to declare such a determination to a court; as, the jury find for the plaintiff. --Burrill. [1913 Webster]
Find \Find\, n. Anything found; a discovery of anything valuable; especially, a deposit, discovered by arch[ae]ologists, of objects of prehistoric or unknown origin. [1913 Webster]
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