sentence

noun

1. 1

   datedThe decision or judgement of a jury or court; a verdict.

   The court returned a sentence of guilt in the first charge, but innocence in the second.

   A branch that has played a significant part in the history of its territory is under sentence at the end of the summer timetables, so far as its passenger services are concerned.

2. 2

   The judicial order for a punishment to be imposed on a person convicted of a crime.

   The judge declared a sentence of death by hanging for the infamous child rapist.

   The murderer, he recalled, had been tried and sentenced to imprisonment for life, but was pardoned by a merciful governor after serving a year of his sentence.

3. 3

   A punishment imposed on a person convicted of a crime.

4. 4

   obsoleteA saying, especially from a great person; a maxim, an apophthegm.

   Men (saith an ancient Greek sentence) are tormented by the opinions they have of things, and not by things themselves.

   I am told that she writes well, and that all her letters are full of sentences.

5. 5

   A grammatically complete series of words consisting of a subject and predicate, even if one or the other is implied. In modern writing, when using, e.g., the Latin, Greek or Cyrillic alphabets, typically beginning with a capital letter and ending with a full stop or other punctuation.

   Near-synonym: clause

   The children were made to construct sentences consisting of nouns and verbs from the list on the chalkboard.

6. 6

   A formula with no free variables.

7. 7

   Any of the set of strings that can be generated by a given formal grammar.

8. 8

   obsoleteSense; meaning; significance.

   Noght o word spak he moore than was neede, / And that was seyd in forme and reverence / And short and quyk and ful of hy sentence […]

   now to the discourse itself, voluble enough, and full of sentence, but that, for the most part, either specious rather than solid, or to his cause nothing pertinent.

   Full of high sentence, but a bit obtuse; […]

9. 9

   obsoleteOne's opinion; manner of thinking.

   My sentence is for open war.

   The book of ſentences, which rendered the name of Peter Lombard ſo illuſtrious, was a compilation of ſentences, and paſſages, drawn from the fathers, whoſe manifold contradictions, this eminent prelate endeavoured to reconcile.

10. 10

    archaicA pronounced opinion or judgment on a given question.

    [I]f it may bee lawfull to iudge or giue any ſentence thereof, it [the author of the book of Ruth] was either Samuell, or ſome other godly Prophet vnder the raigne of Saule, [...]

    By them [Martin Luther's works] we might pass sentence upon his doctrines.

verb

1. 1

   To declare a sentence on a convicted person; to condemn to punishment.

   The judge sentenced the embezzler to ten years in prison, along with a hefty fine.

   Nature herself is sentenced in your doom.

   1900, Charles W. Chesnutt, The House Behind the Cedars, Chapter I, The murderer, he recalled, had been tried and sentenced to imprisonment for life, but was pardoned by a merciful governor after serving a year of his sentence.

   Moreover, in 2002 two EPB officials in Yangcheng County, Shanxi Province, were sentenced to jail for failing to stop a chemical plant from discharging toxic waste into the drinking-water system.

2. 2

   To decree, announce, or pass as a sentence.

   “We are empowered to deliver thee to prison; yea, the law commands us to sentence death upon the abettors of this mischief.[…]"

   So as far as the older generation of German Lutherans were concerned, the abolition of the mother language sentenced death upon the church as they knew it.

   But little did I know, As I cleared away that snow, I'd sentenced death upon that rose, For late that night it simply froze. I'd taken its one chance away, As I stripped it of its quilt that day. I learned a lesson late that night, ...

   […] upholding Idaho statute mandating that court "shall" sentence death upon finding an aggravating circumstance "unless" it finds outweighing mitigating circumstances because satisfies individualized sentencing requirement […]

3. 3

   obsoleteTo utter sententiously.

   Let me heare one wise man sentence it, rather then twenty Fooles, garrulous in their lengthened tattle.

Forms

plural

sentences

past tense

sentenced

past participle

sentenced

present participle

sentencing

third person singular

sentences