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ascribe

more about ascribe

ascribe


  2  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Ascribe  \As*cribe"\,  v.  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}. 
 
  Usage:  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. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  ascribe 
  v  1:  attribute  to  a  source  or  cause  "We  attributed  this 
  quotation  to  Shakespeare"  [syn:  {impute},  {assign},  {attribute}] 
  2:  make  undue  claims  to  having  [syn:  {arrogate},  {assign}] 




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