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Webster 1913 Edition


Ascribe

As-cribe′

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Ascribed
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Ascribing
.]
[L.
ascribere
,
adscribere
, to ascribe;
ad
+
scribere
to write: cf. OF.
ascrire
. See
Scribe
.]
1.
To attribute, impute, or refer, as to a cause;
as, his death was
ascribed
to a poison; to
ascribe
an effect to the right cause; to
ascribe
such a book to such an author.
The finest [speech] that is
ascribed
to Satan in the whole poem.
Addison.
2.
To attribute, as a quality, or an appurtenance; to consider or allege to belong.
Syn. – To
Ascribe
,
Attribute
,
Impute
.
Attribute denotes, 1. To refer some quality or attribute to a being;
as, to
attribute
power to God
. 2. To refer something to its cause or source;
as, to
attribute
a backward spring to icebergs off the coast
. Ascribe is used equally in both these senses, but involves a different image. To impute usually denotes to ascribe something doubtful or wrong, and hence, in general literature, has commonly a bad sense;
as, to
impute
unworthy motives
. The theological sense of impute is not here taken into view.
More than good-will to me
attribute
naught.
Spenser.
Ascribes
his gettings to his parts and merit.
Pope.
And fairly quit him of the
imputed
blame.
Spenser.

Webster 1828 Edition


Ascribe

ASCRI'BE

,
Verb.
T.
[L. ascribo, of ad and scribo, to write.]
1.
To attribute, impute, or set to, as to a cause; to assign, as effect to a cause; as, losses are often to be ascribed to imprudence.
2.
To attribute, as a quality, or an appurtenance; to consider or allege to belong; as, to ascribe perfection to God, or imperfection to man. Job 36. Ps. 68. 1Sam. 18.

Definition 2024


ascribe

ascribe

English

Verb

ascribe (third-person singular simple present ascribes, present participle ascribing, simple past and past participle ascribed)

  1. (transitive) To attribute a cause or characteristic to someone or something.
    One may ascribe these problems to the federal government; however, at this stage it is unclear what caused them.
  2. (transitive) To attribute a book, painting or any work of art or literature to a writer or creator.
    It is arguable as to whether we can truly ascribe this play to Shakespeare.

Synonyms

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Latin

Verb

āscrībe

  1. second-person singular present active imperative of āscrībō