Adjacent Words

fulfil definitions

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WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

v
1: put in effect; "carry out a task"; "execute the decision of the people"; "He actioned the operation" [syn: carry through, accomplish, execute, carry out, action, fulfill, fulfil]
2: fill or meet a want or need [syn: meet, satisfy, fill, fulfill, fulfil]
3: meet the requirements or expectations of [syn: satisfy, fulfill, fulfil, live up to] [ant: fall short of]

Merriam Webster's

transitive verb see fulfill

Oxford Reference Dictionary

v.tr. (US fulfill) (fulfilled, fulfilling) 1 bring to consummation, carry out (a prophecy or promise). 2 satisfy (a desire or prayer). 3 a execute, obey (a command or law). b perform, carry out (a task). 4 comply with (conditions). 5 answer (a purpose). 6 bring to an end, finish, complete (a period or piece of work). Phrases and idioms: fulfil oneself develop one's gifts and character to the full. Derivatives: fulfillable adj. fulfiller n. fulfilment n. (US fulfillment). Etymology: OE fullfyllan (as FULL(1), FILL)

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Fulfill Ful*fill", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Fulfilled; p. pr. & vb. n. Fulfilling.] [OE. fulfillen, fulfullen, AS. fulfyllan; ful full + fyllan to fill. See Full, a., and Fill, v. t.] [Written also fulfil.] 1. To fill up; to make full or complete. [>Obs.] ``Fulfill her week'' --Gen. xxix. 27. Suffer thou that the children be fulfilled first, for it is not good to take the bread of children and give to hounds. --Wyclif (Mark vii. 27). 2. To accomplish or carry into effect, as an intention, promise, or prophecy, a desire, prayer, or requirement, etc.; to complete by performance; to answer the requisitions of; to bring to pass, as a purpose or design; to effectuate. He will, fulfill the desire of them fear him. --Ps. cxlv. 199. Here Nature seems fulfilled in all her ends. --Milton. Servants must their masters' minds fulfill. --Shak.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(fulfils, fulfilling, fulfilled) Frequency: The word is one of the 3000 most common words in English. Note: in AM and sometimes in BRIT, use 'fulfill', 'fulfills' 1. If you fulfil something such as a promise, dream, or hope, you do what you said or hoped you would do. President Kaunda fulfilled his promise of announcing a date for the referendum. = carry out VERB: V n 2. To fulfil a task, role, or requirement means to do or be what is required, necessary, or expected. Without them you will not be able to fulfil the tasks you have before you... All the necessary conditions were fulfilled. VERB: V n, V n 3. If something fulfils you, or if you fulfil yourself, you feel happy and satisfied with what you are doing or with what you have achieved. The war was the biggest thing in her life and nothing after that quite fulfilled her... They don't like the idea that women can fulfil themselves without the assistance of a man. = satisfy VERB: V n, V pron-refl • fulfilled I feel more fulfilled doing this than I've ever done. ADJ • fulfilling ...a fulfilling career... I found it all very fulfilling. ADJ

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

fool-fil' (male; pleroo, teleo, with other words): "Fulfill" is used

(1) in a sense more or less obsolete, "to fill up," complete (Ge 29:21,28; Ex 23:26; Job 36:17, the Revised Version (British and American) "full," margin "filled up"; Mt 3:15, "to fulfill all righteousness"; Php 2:2, "Fulfil ye my joy," the American Standard Revised Version "make full"; compare 2Co 10:6);

(2) in the sense of "to accomplish," "to carry into effect," as to fulfill the word of Yahweh (1Ki 2:27; 8:15,24; 2Ch 36:21, etc.); in the New Testament very frequently used of the fulfillment of prophetic Scripture (Mt 1:22; 2:15, etc.). Love is declared to be "the fulfillment (pleroma, "fullness") of the law" (Ro 13:10). For "fulfill" the Revised Version (British and American) has "do" (Re 17:17); for "fulfilled" has "performed" (2Sa 14:22), "accomplished" (Ezr 1:1; Mt 5:18; 24:34; Lu 21:32; Joh 19:28), with numerous other changes.

W. L. Walker

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

v. a. [Written also Fulfill.] 1. Accomplish, effectuate, realize, effect, execute, bring to pass, complete, consummate, bring to completion, perfect, bring to perfection or greater perfection, carry out or to its intention. 2. Observe, obey, perform, do, discharge, keep, adhere to, comply with, be faithful to. 3. Meet, satisfy, answer, comply with, fill, fill out.

Moby Thesaurus

abide by, accomplish, achieve, answer, bring about, bring off, bring to completion, carry off, carry out, carry through, carry to completion, complete, comply with, conform to, conform with, consummate, discharge, do, effect, effectuate, execute, implement, keep, live up to, look to, meet, obey, observe, perform, realize, satisfy, see to