[find] vb found ; find.ing [ME, fr. OE findan; akin to OHG findan to find, L pont-, pons bridge, Gk pontos sea, Skt patha way, course] vt (bef. 12c) 1 a: to come upon often accidentally: encounter b: to meet with (a particular reception) "hoped to ~ favor"
2. a: to come upon by searching or effort "must ~ a suitable person for the job" b: to discover by study or experiment "~ an answer" c: to obtain by effort or management "~ the time to study" d: attain, reach "the bullet found its mark" 3 a: to discover by the intellect or the feelings: experience "~ much pleasure in your company" b: to perceive (oneself) to be in a certain place or condition c: to gain or regain the use or power of "trying to ~ his tongue" d: to bring (oneself) to a realization of one's powers or of one's proper sphere of activity "must help the student to ~ himself as an individual --N. M. Pusey"
4. a: provide, supply b: to furnish (room and board) esp. as a condition of employment
5: to determine and make a statement about "~ a verdict" "found her guilty" ~ vi: to determine a case judicially by a verdict "~ for the defendant" -- find.able adj -- find fault : to criticize unfavorably
[2]find n (1825) 1: an act or instance of finding
2: something found: as a: a valuable discovery "an archaeological ~" b: a person whose ability proves to be unexpectedly good