find

I. verb (found; finding) Etymology: Middle English, from Old English findan; akin to Old High German findan to find, Latin pont-, pons bridge, Greek pontos sea, Sanskrit patha way, course Date: before 12th century transitive verb 1. a. to come upon often accidentally ; encounter b. to meet with (a particular reception) <

hoped to find favor

> 2. a. to come upon by searching or effort <

must find a suitable person for the job

> b. to discover by study or experiment <

find an answer

> c. to obtain by effort or management <

find the time to study

> d. attain, reach <

the bullet found its mark

> 3. a. to discover by the intellect or the feelings ; experience <

find much pleasure in your company

> b. to perceive (oneself) to be in a certain place or condition c. to gain or regain the use or power of <

trying to find his tongue

> d. to bring (oneself) to a realization of one's powers or of one's proper sphere of activity <

must help the student to find himself as an individual — N. M. Pusey

> 4. a. provide, supply b. to furnish (room and board) especially as a condition of employment 5. to determine and make a statement about <

find a verdict

> <

found her guilty

> intransitive verb to determine a case judicially by a verdict <

find for the defendant

> • findable adjective II. noun Date: 1825 1. an act or instance of finding 2. something found: as a. a valuable discovery <

an archaeological find

> b. a person whose ability proves to be unexpectedly good