ə̇ˈstablish, eˈ-, -lēsh, chiefly in pres part -ləsh verb
( -ed/-ing/-es )
Etymology: Middle English establissen, from Middle French establiss-, stem of establir, from Latin stabilire, from stabilis firm, stable — more at stable
transitive verb
1.
a. : to make firm or stable : fix to prevent or check unsteadiness, wavering, turmoil, or agitation
establish the gun firmly on its base
b. : to place, install, or set up in a permanent or relatively enduring position especially as regards living quarters, business, social life, or possession
the family established itself in a large house
established himself in the community as a grain dealer
stayed with the team long enough to see it established as a member of a major league
the first day of 1930 saw me established in London with a good job on an evening paper — Harold Nicolson
c. : to found or base securely (as a theory)
established the moral unity of all people upon the idea of God
examine critically the foundations of his creed and establish his theology upon philosophy — V.L.Parrington
d. : to assist, support, or nurture so that stability and continuance are assured
stayed as principal of the new school until it was well established
e. : to fix or implant (itself) in gaining a firm hold
think of the possibilities if this scourge becomes widely established among our eastern oaks — W.H.Camp
a vice continued until it established itself beyond escape
2.
a. : to settle or fix after consideration or by enactment or agreement
a congressional bill establishing duties on a wide range of imports
an act establishing quota limits on immigration
b. : appoint , ordain , entitle
established several European correspondents for the newspaper
established a new vice-president for the firm
3. obsolete : to settle (as an estate) upon someone : secure (as rights) to a group
4.
a. : to bring into existence, create, make, start, originate, found, or build usually as permanent or with permanence in view
establish a factory on the banks of the river
established a cranberry bog — American Guide Series: Oregon
the five studies in this volume have the common purpose of establishing a background for an understanding of 18th century English literature — University of Minnesota Press Catalog
establish a school for the deaf
the Italians voted to establish a republic — Current Biography
Noah Webster, with his dictionary … had established American usage in the matter of words — Van Wyck Brooks
b. : to bring about : effect
establishing friendly relations with the Indians — American Guide Series: Maine
c.
(1) : provide : set up
it established a fund of $700,000 to open regional offices — Current Biography
(2) : to provide for : endow
establish a chair of Oriental studies at the university
5. obsolete : to bring (as anger) to a state of calm : quiet
6.
a. archaic : confirm , validate
b. : to prove or make acceptable beyond a reasonable doubt
the point the speaker was trying to establish was the imminence of economic collapse
the impossibility of spontaneous generation was finally established as a valuable working principle — J.B.Conant
establish the fact that he was not there when the murder occurred
c. : to provide strong evidence for : bring unavoidably to the attention
something was said that established him as being in the contracting business — Hamilton Basso
d. : to calculate or determine exactly and with certainty the terms, limits, or identity of
the evidence established the motive for the crime
establish the weight of the planet
e. : to provide the mind or comprehension with appropriate information about
the opening shot of the movie establishes the scene
7. : to make a national or state institution of (a church)
8.
a. : to provide with a secure reputation especially as valuable, useful, or certain
screen productions based on established novels
established as the world's tobacco capital — American Guide Series: North Carolina
b. : to place in a position of being accepted, respected, or feared
the British authority had been pretty securely established — B.K.Sandwell
clearly established my standing as a man of good character — B.F.Fairless
upset the established order in southeast Asia
c. : to make a norm, a custom, a convention, or a habit
the established way of addressing a clergyman
established art styles
it was his established practice to eat an early supper
an established conditioned reflex
9.
a. : to set (as a record) as an achievement
b. : to arrive at (as a result)
10. : to define and record (as a species) by effective publication in systematic biology
11. : to make such plays in a card game as will permit (a specified card or all remaining cards of a specified suit) to win tricks
intransitive verb
: to become naturalized : enter and persist without care or cultivation — used chiefly of plants
various xerophytes readily establish on and stabilize coastal dunes
Synonyms: see found , set