See Also: find(medicine)
find(1)(dictionary)
find(2)(dictionary)
Find Energy(finance)
find 1, verb(dictionary)
find 2, noun(dictionary)

find(2) (iou)



find verb. .
[Old English findan = Old Frisian finda, Old Saxon findan, fiTan (Dutch vinden), Old High German findan (German finden), Old Norse finna, Gothic finTan, from Germanic.]
I. Meet with or come upon by chance or in the course of events.
verb trans. Become aware of or get possession of by chance; come across, meet with. OE.
M. Pattison In 1276, we find the Emperor and the King of England in constant communication. Oxford English Dictionary I found a shilling on the floor. W. Stafford Travelling through the dark I found a deer/dead on the edge of the Wilson River road. H. Roth I found her sitting very quietly, as usual, in her large arm-chair.
b. euphem. Steal. slang. M19.
verb trans. Come to have, obtain, receive, experience. OE.
J. M. Neale Ye who now do bless the poor Shall yourselves find blessing. F. W. Newman I..despair of finding readers among those who seek solely for amusement.
verb trans. Discover or perceive on inspection or consideration. ME.
E. Hemingway I found I was quite drunk. H. L. Mencken I have found nothing in it save nonsense.
b. refl. Come to be, or perceive oneself to be, in a specified state or position. LME.
Scott Fitzgerald He found himself increasingly in a position to do as he wished. G. Greene Myatt found himself alone.
verb trans. Learn through experience or trial; regard as, prove (something) to be. ME.
T. Hardy I've tried to keep it from you, but have found I cannot. M. Keane Joan did not find him amusing.
verb trans. Detect; discover the identity or true character of. ME-L18.
verb trans. Feel, suffer from; perceive (a taste, smell, etc.). obsolete exc. dial. LME.
verb trans. Gain or recover the use of (one's limbs, powers, etc.). M16.
II. Discover or attain (as if) by search or effort.
verb trans. Discover or obtain by searching; rediscover (something lost). OE.
Bible (AV): Luke 15:6 Reioyce with me, for I have found my sheepe which was lost. E. Waugh Find another glass..if you can.
b. verb trans. & intrans. Discover (game, a scent) in hunting. ME.
Field Archen Hills was blank..but hounds found at once in Woodend.
c. verb refl. Discover one's niche or vocation. M17.
A. Miller Not finding yourself at the age of thirty-four is a disgrace!
d. verb trans. Of an address: be adequate to enable a letter etc. to reach (a person). E20.
verb trans. Ascertain by mental effort or calculation; discover by study or inquiry. OE.
verb trans. Contrive, devise, invent; be the discoverer of (a scientific fact etc.). OE.
Law.
a. verb intrans. Determine. Only in OE.
b. verb trans. Authoritatively determine and declare (a person) to be guilty, innocent, etc., (an issue, offence, etc.) to be that specified, that; determine and deliver (a verdict). LME.
J. Buchan The jury found it a case of suicide while of unsound mind.
c. verb trans. Ascertain the validity of (an indictment etc.). L15.
d. verb intrans. Determine and deliver a verdict (against, for, etc., the accused or a party in a dispute). E17.
M. Richler The jury found in favour of the insurance company.
verb trans. Arrive at, reach; reach by a natural or normal process; arch. reach the conscience or understanding of. ME.
Southey Yet may a dagger find him. Coleridge Whatever finds me, bears witness for itself that it has proceeded from a Holy Spirit. I. Murdoch A letter to the theatre finds me.
verb trans. Succeed in obtaining; procure (money, sureties, bail, etc.); make or arrange to have (time, opportunity, etc.). ME.
Horace Walpole I just found a moment to write you a line.
b. Summon up (courage, resolution, strength, etc.). LME.
Oxford English Dictionary At last he has found courage to speak.
III. Provide.
verb trans. Supply, provide, furnish. ME.
E. A. Freeman The government required each county to find its quota of ships.
verb trans. Provide for (a person, oneself); support, maintain. Foll. by in: supply with. ME.
b. Serve to maintain. L15-L16.
Phrases: all found (of servants' wages) with board and lodging provided. find fault (with): see FAULT noun. find favour (in the eyes of): see FAVOUR noun. find God experience religious conversion. find in one's heart to, find it in one's heart to (a) arch. desire to; (b) bring oneself to, be hard-hearted enough to, (usu. in neg. contexts). find its way be brought or get into etc. find Jesus experience conversion to Christianity. find mean(s): see MEAN noun1. find one's feet learn to stand or walk, get the use of one's feet; fig. grow in ability or confidence, develop one's powers, acquire knowledge or capability in a new job etc. find one's match: see MATCH noun1. find one's way to contrive to reach, arrive at. find RELIGION. find the lady = THREE-card trick. find the mean(s): see MEAN noun1. how do you find yourself? how are you? know where to find understand (a person), know the views of. take us as you find us accept us as we are.
With adverbs in specialized senses: find out (a) seek out, detect, discover; detect in an offence, discover the identity or true character of; (b) make a discovery, discover a fact, the truth, etc. find up (now dial.) discover by searching, seek out.
Comb.: find-fault a person who finds fault, a fault-finder.
findable adjective able to be found LME.