adjective
- that settles a question or dispute or leads to a final decision; determining; decisive: the deciding vote; The weather will be the deciding factor as to whether we have the picnic or not.
verb (used with object), de·cid·ed, de·cid·ing.
- to solve or conclude (a question, controversy, or struggle) by giving victory to one side: The judge decided the case in favor of the plaintiff.
- to determine or settle (something in dispute or doubt): to decide an argument.
- to bring (a person) to a decision; persuade or convince: The new evidence decided him.
verb (used without object), de·cid·ed, de·cid·ing.
- to settle something in dispute or doubt: The judge decided in favor of the plaintiff.
- to make a judgment or determine a preference; come to a conclusion.
verb
- (may take a clause or an infinitive as object; when intr, sometimes foll by on or about) to reach a decisiondecide what you want; he decided to go
- (tr) to cause (a person) to reach a decisionthe weather decided me against going
- (tr) to determine or settle (a contest or question)he decided his future plans
- (tr) to influence decisively the outcome of (a contest or question)Borg’s stamina decided the match
- (intr; foll by for or against) to pronounce a formal verdict
late 14c., “to settle a dispute,” from Old French decider, from Latin decidere “to decide, determine,” literally “to cut off,” from de- “off” (see de-) + caedere “to cut” (see -cide). For Latin vowel change, see acquisition. Sense is of resolving difficulties “at a stroke.” Meaning “to make up one’s mind” is attested from 1830. Related: Decided; deciding.