I. ˈsȯ(ə)r]t, -ȯ(ə)], usu ]d.+V\ noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English, from Middle French sorte, probably from Medieval Latin & Late Latin; Medieval Latin sort-, sors sort, kind, from Late Latin, way, manner, from Latin, lot, decision by lot, chance, fortune; perhaps akin to Latin serere to bind together, join — more at series
1. : a group or kind established or set up permanently or temporarily on the basis of any characteristic in common
a strange sort of people
— sometimes used as a zero plural with a preceding these or those and a following of
those sort of men
2.
a. : a number of things used or adapted to be used together : set , suit
b. archaic : group , crowd , flock
3.
a. : a method or manner of acting : way , fashion , manner
b. : character , quality , disposition , nature
people of an evil sort
also : individual , thing
he is really not a bad sort at all
4.
a. : letter or character that is one element of a font
b. : a character or piece of type (as a symbol, piece fraction, or space) that is not part of a regular font
c. : a matrix that is not stored in a keyboard-controlled channel of a slugcasting machine and must be hand-inserted when used ; also : a character cast or made from such a matrix
5. sorts plural
a. : a grade of a natural resin (as a copal) characterized by largish pieces sorted usually by color
b. : ungraded gum (as gum arabic) of various sizes
Synonyms: see type
•
- after a sort
- of sorts
- out of sorts
II. verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle English sorten, from sort, n.
transitive verb
1. obsolete : to select as of a certain sort : choose ; also : to distinguish between
2. obsolete : to assign by or as if by lot : allot
3.
a. : to put in a given place or rank according to kind, class, or nature
sort mail
: arrange according to characteristics : classify — often used with out
sort out colors
b. : to separate (a particular thing) from a mass
sort out a defective tool
quickly sort out some of the riddles resulting from repressed guilt — R.L.Jenkins
4. chiefly Scotland : to furnish provision for ; especially : to feed and bed down (an animal)
5. chiefly Scotland
a. : to put to rights : put in order
b. : to put to rights morally by punishing or scolding
intransitive verb
1. : to join or associate with others especially of the same kind — used with with
sort with thieves
2. obsolete : to divine by or as if by lot : soothsay ; also : turn out
3. archaic : suit , harmonize , agree — used with with
III. noun
: an instance of sorting
an alpha sort