declare English · revision 10299

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=c. 1325|origins=fro declarer|origins=la declarare}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /dɪˈklɛə/ ''(UK)''; /dɪˈklɛɚ/, /dəˈklɛɚ/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is Middle English declaren, from Old French declarer, to explain, or directly [[bor|la|dēclārāre|t=to make clear, reveal, announce]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024) from dē-, here intensive, and clārāre, to make clear, from clārus, clear (see [[clear]]).^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(NODE 1998)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ To make clear something obscure, to explain: about 1325 in the OED, the mid-14th century in Etymonline;^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline) to decide a legal question, before 1338, in Mannyng's ''Chronicle''.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ To make known by words, state explicitly, proclaim, is from the late 14th century (about 1330 in the OED),^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) and the meaning proclaim or state is first recorded by Barnhart in 1399.^(Barnhart 1988) To assert or affirm is from the mid-15th century.^(Etymonline) To pronounce someone to be something is from 1538,^(OED 1989) and ''to declare war'' from 1552.^(OED 1989) To make a statement of dutiable goods, and to name trumps in bridge, are later specialized senses.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023) ''Declaration'' is from about 1380, in Chaucer, and ''declarative'' from about 1445.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1325 – to make clear.^(OED 1989)

+ * before 1338 – to decide a legal question.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * c. 1380 – declaration.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1399 – to proclaim.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * mid-15th century – to affirm.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1552 – to declare war.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To make known formally or officially; to [[announce]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # To state officially that someone or something is as specified.^(Collins 2023)

+ # To state emphatically; to [[affirm]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # To show or reveal.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # To make known one's choice or opinion, often with ''for'' or ''against''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # To make a full statement of dutiable goods or taxable income.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[declarable]]

+ * [[declarer]]

+ * [[misdeclare]]

+ * [[predeclare]]

+ * [[redeclare]]

+ * [[declarant]]

+ * [[declaration]]

+ * [[declarative]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[clear]]

+ * [[clarify]]

+ * [[clarity]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}