5 definitions found for figure out

figure out v 1: find the solution to (a problem or question) or understand the meaning of; "did you solve the problem?"; "Work out your problems with the boss"; "this unpleasant situation isn't going to work itself out"; "did you get it?"; "Did you get my meaning?"; "He could not work the math problem" [syn: solve, work out, figure out, puzzle out, lick, work]

figure out v. 1. To find an answer by thinking about (some problem or difficulty); solve. Tom couldn't figure out the last problem on the arithmetic test. Sam couldn't figure out how to print a program until the teacher showed him how. Mary couldn't figure out why her cake tasted so funny until she found salt mixed in the sugar bag. Compare: FIND OUT(1). 2. To learn how to explain; understand. Laurence is an odd boy; I can't figure him out. Compare: MAKE OUT(2).

figure out transitive verb Date: 1600 1. discover, determine <try to figure out a way to do it> 2. solve, fathom <figure out a problem>

figure out If you figure out a solution to a problem or the reason for something, you succeed in solving it or understanding it. (INFORMAL) It took them about one month to figure out how to start the equipment... They're trying to figure out the politics of this whole situation... I don't have to be a detective to figure that out. = work out PHRASAL VERB: V P wh/that, V P n (not pron), V n P

65 Moby Thesaurus words for "figure out": add, algebraize, answer, bottom, calculate, cast, cipher, clear up, compute, crack, debug, decipher, decode, disentangle, divide, divine, do, dope, dope out, estimate, explain, extract roots, fathom, figure, figure in, find out, find the answer, find the solution, get, get right, guess, guess right, have it, hit it, interpret, make out, measure, multiply, open the lock, plumb, psych, psych out, puzzle out, ravel, ravel out, reckon, resolve, riddle, score, solve, sort out, subtract, take account of, tally, undo, unfold, unlock, unravel, unriddle, unscramble, untangle, untwist, unweave, work, work out