sort

¹sort

noun \ˈsȯrt\

Definition of SORT

1

a : a group set up on the basis of any characteristic in common : class, kind

b : one approximating the character or qualities of another <a sort of latter-day Abe Lincoln>

c : person, individual <he's not a bad sort>

2

archaic : group, company

3

a archaic : method or manner of acting : way, manner

b : character, nature <people of an evil sort>

4

a : a letter or character that is one element of a font

b : a character or piece of type that is not part of a regular font

5

: an instance of sorting <a numeric sort of a data file>

— after a sort

: in a rough or haphazard way <plays the piano, after a sort>

— all sorts of

: many different : all kinds of <knows all sorts of people>

— of sorts or of a sort

: in some respects but not entirely or truly <a vacation of sorts>

— out of sorts

1

: somewhat ill

2

: grouchy, irritable

Examples of SORT

1. What sort of car do you drive?
2. He's not a bad sort.
3. She's not the sort to complain.
4. The program did a numeric sort of the data.

Origin of SORT

Middle English, from Anglo-French, fate, lot, characteristic, from Latin sort-, sors lot, share, category — more at series

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to SORT

Synonyms

breed, class, description, feather, genre, ilk, kidney, kind, like, manner, nature, order, species, strain, stripe, type, variety

Related Words

model; sample, specimen; bracket, bunch, category, division, family, grade, group, grouping, lot, persuasion, rank(s), set, suite

Near Antonyms

animal, beast, beastie, brute, critter

See Synonym Discussion at type

Rhymes with SORT

bort, court, fort, forte, mort, ort, port, Porte, quart, short, skort, snort, sport, swart, thwart, tort, torte, wart, wort

²sort

verb

Definition of SORT

transitive verb

1

a : to put in a certain place or rank according to kind, class, or nature <sort apples> <sort mail>

b : to arrange according to characteristics : classify —usually used with out <sort out colors>

2

chiefly Scottish : to put to rights : put in order

3

a : to examine in order to clarify —used with out <sorting out his problems>

b : to free of confusion : clarify —used with out <waited until things sorted themselves out>

intransitive verb

1

: to join or associate with others especially of the same kind <sort with thieves>

2

: agree, harmonize <his benign view sorts badly with reality — Henry Trewhitt>

3

: search <sort through some old papers>

— sort·able \ˈsȯr-tə-bəl\ adjective

— sort·er noun

Examples of SORT

1. She started to sort the mail.
2. They sorted the winners from the losers.
3. The program can sort data alphabetically or numerically.

First Known Use of SORT

14th century

Related to SORT

Synonyms

chum, company, consociate, consort, fraternize, hang (around or out), hobnob, hook up, mess around, pal (around), run, associate, travel

Antonyms

differ (from), disagree (with)

Related Words

affiliate, ally, attach, band, bond, club, collaborate, collude, confederate, conjoin, connect, cooperate, couple, gang, get along, get on, group, interrelate, join, knot, league, link, mingle, mix, rally, relate, side, socialize, team, tie, wed; befriend, friend

Near Antonyms

avoid, cold-shoulder, shun, snub; alienate, estrange; break up, disband, disperse, split (up); disjoin, dissociate, disunite, divorce, sever, split, sunder