describe

4 definitions • 13 examples

to say or write what someone or something is like:

Could you describe your attacker?

describe something in detail He described the painting in detail.

describe something to someone Describe to us how you felt when you won.

[ + question word ] Let me describe how it happened.

describe someone/something as something/doing something She described Gary as shy.

She was described as having "fierce blue eyes".

If you describe a shape, you draw it or move in a direction that follows the line of it:

He used compasses to describe a circle.

to recognize a plant or animal as belonging to a particular type, and give it a scientific name:

So far, scientists have described 15,482 marine fish species, up from 15,304 a year ago.

The scientific name for mountain laurel is Kalmia latifolia, from Peter Kalm, an 18th-century botanist who first described the species.

to give a written or spoken report of how something is done or of what someone or something is like:

The scientists described their findings and research methods.

They want us to prepare a report describing the area.

[ + question word ] Just describe what happened.

The Democrats describe their rivals as the party of the rich.