decide: [14] Etymologically, decide denotes a resolving of alternatives or difficulties by cutting through them as if with a knife or a sword – dealing with them ‘at a stroke’. The word comes, perhaps via French décider, from Latin dēcidere, a compound verb formed from the prefix dē- ‘off’ and caedere ‘cut, strike’. It is not clear where this comes from, although Sanskrit khid- ‘press, tear’ has been compared.
Its other descendants in English include chisel, cement, concise, and scissors. (Other verbs for ‘decide’ which contain the basic meaning element ‘cut through’ or ‘separate’ include Latin dēcernere and German entscheiden.) => cement, chisel, concise, excise, incision, precise, scissors
decide (v.)
late 14c., "to settle a dispute," from Old French decider, from Latin decidere "to decide, determine," literally "to cut off," from de- "off" (see de-) + caedere "to cut" (see -cide). For Latin vowel change, see acquisition. Sense is of resolving difficulties "at a stroke." Meaning "to make up one's mind" is attested from 1830. Related: Decided; deciding.
雙語例句
1. A dentist may decide to extract the tooth to prevent recurrent trouble.
牙醫可能會決定拔掉那顆牙，以免反復發作。
來自柯林斯例句
2. He might decide that it is best to induce labour.
他也許決定最好引產。
來自柯林斯例句
3. If the clubs cannot conclude a deal, an independent tribunal will decide.
如果俱樂部之間無法達成協議，將由一個獨立的仲裁委員會來裁定。
來自柯林斯例句
4. The judges could not decide which category it belonged in.
評委們無法判定它屬于哪一類。
來自柯林斯例句
5. I couldn't decide whether he was incredibly brave or just insane.