Adjacent Words

Designate definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

DESIGNATE, v.t.
1. To mark out or show, so as to make known; to indicate by bisible lines, marks, description or something known and determinate; as, to designate the limits of a country; the limits are designated on the map; designate the spot where a star appears in the heavens; designate the place where our ancestors first landed.
2. To point out; to distinguish from others by indication; as, to be able to designate every individual who was concerned in a riot.
3. To appoint; to select or distinguish for a particular purpose; to assign; with for, as to designate an officer for the command of a station; or with to, as this captain was designated to that station.
DESIGNATE, a. Appointed; marked out.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

adj
1: appointed but not yet installed in office v
1: assign a name or title to [syn: designate, denominate]
2: give an assignment to (a person) to a post, or assign a task to (a person) [syn: delegate, designate, depute, assign]
3: indicate a place, direction, person, or thing; either spatially or figuratively; "I showed the customer the glove section"; "He pointed to the empty parking space"; "he indicated his opponents" [syn: indicate, point, designate, show]
4: decree or designate beforehand; "She was destined to become a great pianist" [syn: destine, fate, doom, designate]
5: design or destine; "She was intended to become the director" [syn: intend, destine, designate, specify]

Merriam Webster's

I. adjective Etymology: Latin designatus, past participle of designare Date: 1629 chosen but not yet installed <ambassador designate> II. transitive verb (-nated; -nating) Date: 1639 1. to indicate and set apart for a specific purpose, office, or duty <designate a group to prepare a plan> 2. a. to point out the location of <a marker designating the battle> b. to distinguish as to class <the area we designate as that of spiritual values — J. B. Conant> c. specify, stipulate <to be sent by a designated shipper> 3. denote <associate names with the people they designate> 4. to call by a distinctive title, term, or expression <a particle designated the neutron> • designative adjective • designator noun • designatory adjective

Oxford Reference Dictionary

v. & adj. --v.tr. 1 (often foll. by as) appoint to an office or function (designated him as postmaster general; designated his own successor). 2 specify or particularize (receives guests at designated times). 3 (often foll. by as) describe as; entitle, style. 4 serve as the name or distinctive mark of (English uses French words to designate ballet steps). --adj. (placed after noun) appointed to an office but not yet installed (bishop designate). Derivatives: designator n. Etymology: L designare, past part. designatus (as DE-, signare f. signum mark)

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Designate Des"ig*nate, a. [L. designatus, p. p. of designare. See Design, v. t.] Designated; appointed; chosen. [R.] --Sir G. Buck.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Designate Des"ig*nate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Designated; p. pr. & vb. n. Designating.] 1. To mark out and make known; to point out; to name; to indicate; to show; to distinguish by marks or description; to specify; as, to designate the boundaries of a country; to designate the rioters who are to be arrested. 2. To call by a distinctive title; to name. 3. To indicate or set apart for a purpose or duty; -- with to or for; to designate an officer for or to the command of a post or station. Syn: To name; denominate; style; entitle; characterize; describe.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(designated) 1. When you designate someone or something as a particular thing, you formally give them that description or name. ...a man interviewed in one of our studies whom we shall designate as E... There are efforts under way to designate the bridge a historic landmark... I live in Exmoor, which is designated as a national park. VERB: V n as n, V n n, V-ed 2. If something is designated for a particular purpose, it is set aside for that purpose. Some of the rooms were designated as offices. ...scholarships designated for minorities... VERB: usu passive, be V-ed as/for n, V-ed 3. When you designate someone as something, you formally choose them to do that particular job. Designate someone as the spokesperson... VERB: V n as n 4. Designate is used to describe someone who has been formally chosen to do a particular job, but has not yet started doing it. Japan's Prime Minister-designate is completing his Cabinet today. ADJ: n ADJ

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

v. a. 1. Specify, particularize, distinguish, indicate, denote, show, point out, mark out, select. 2. Characterize, describe, define. 3. Denominate, name, entitle, style, call, term, christen, dub. 4. Appoint, assign, allot.

Moby Thesaurus

advert to, allocate, allot, allude to, appoint, apportion, appropriate, assign, baptize, be taken as, call, choose, christen, define, delegate, delineate, denominate, denote, depute, determine, dictate, dub, earmark, elect, emblematize, entitle, figure, finger, fix, identify, indicate, label, make, mark, mean, mention, mete out, name, name for office, nickname, nominate, opt, ordain, ordinate, particularize, pick, pick out, pin down, pinpoint, point at, point out, point to, propose, put down, put up, refer to, represent, reserve, run, run for office, select, set, set forth, signify, single, specialize, specify, stand for, state, stigmatize, stipulate, style, submit, symbol, symbolize, tab, tag, tap, term, title, typify, write down