de ‧ cide S1 W1 /dɪˈsaɪd/ BrE AmE verb
[ Word Family: noun : ↑ decision , ↑ indecision ; adverb : ↑ decidedly , ↑ decisively ≠ ↑ indecisively ; adjective : ↑ decided ≠ ↑ undecided , ↑ decisive ≠ ↑ indecisive ; verb : ↑ decide ]
[ Date: 1300-1400 ; Language: French ; Origin: décider , from Latin decidere 'to cut off, decide' ]
1 . [intransitive and transitive] to make a choice or judgment about something, especially after considering all the possibilities or arguments ⇨ decision :
Has anything been decided yet?
decide to do something
Tina’s decided to go to Rome for her holidays.
decide (that)
It was decided that four hospitals should close.
decide who/what/whether etc
I can’t decide whether I like him or not.
People have a right to decide how to spend their own money.
decide between something
A meeting was called to decide between the three candidates.
decide for yourself (=make your own decision)
You must decide for yourself.
The trainees decide among themselves what programs to take.
decide against/in favour of (doing) something
He eventually decided against telling her.
After a long discussion, they decided in favour of (=chose) the older applicant.
2 . [transitive] to influence a situation or event so that a particular result is produced:
It was the penalty kick that decided the match.
3 . [transitive] to be the reason for someone making a particular choice:
Taxes could be the deciding factor for millions of floating voters.
decide somebody to do something
The look he gave her decided her not to ask.
4 . [intransitive and transitive] law to make an official or legal judgment:
The Commission will have the power to decide disputes.
decide in favour of/against somebody
If the Parole Board decides in his favour, the prisoner will be released.
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THESAURUS
▪ decide to make a choice to do something:
We decided to send our son to a boarding school.
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I decided to go home early.
▪ make up your mind to decide something, especially after thinking about it for a long time. Make up your mind is less formal than decide and is mainly used in spoken English:
Have you made up your mind about where you’ll go on holiday?
▪ choose to do something to decide to do something – especially when this is different from what people expect or tell you to do:
She chose to ignore my advice.
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More young couples are choosing not to marry.
▪ make a decision to decide after thinking carefully about something, especially about something that is very important:
They made a decision not to have children.
▪ resolve formal to decide that you will definitely do something, especially because you think it will be better for you, or because of your past experiences:
She resolved to work hard at school.
▪ determine formal to officially decide what something shall be:
Each hospital can determine its own pay rates.
▪ come down in favour of something British English , come down in favor of something American English to decide to support a particular plan, argument etc – used especially about groups of people:
Eight of the ten committee members came down in favour of the changes.
▪ come to/reach a decision to officially decide about something important after discussing and carefully considering it - used especially about groups of people:
After two hours of discussion, the comittee had still not come to a decision on any of the proposals.
decide on/upon something phrasal verb
to choose something or someone after thinking carefully:
Have you decided on a date for the wedding?