Word
decide
Phoneticsde·cide, stress on the second syllable
US/ˌdɪˈsaɪd/
UK/dɪsˈaɪd/
Definitions
01to make a choice
A1 · Beginner
v. to choose something after thinking about several possibilities.
v. to reach a conclusion or select a course of action after deliberation. Often used with an infinitive or a 'that' clause.
日本語:決める※
“We couldn't decide which movie to watch, so we stayed home instead.”
“After reviewing all the available data, the board decided to postpone the merger until the following fiscal year.”
Usage
Commonly followed by 'to' + verb, 'that' + clause, or 'on' + noun.
Pitfall
I decided for staying at home.
I decided to stay at home.
When 'decide' is followed by an action, use the 'to' infinitive, not 'for' with a gerund.
02to settle a result
B1 · Intermediate
v. to be the reason that a competition or a problem ends in a certain way.
v. to determine the outcome of a contest, dispute, or uncertain situation.
日本語:決める※
“A late goal in the final minute decided the match.”
“The supreme court's ruling will finally decide the legal ownership of the disputed territory.”
Usage
In this sense, the subject is often the event or factor that causes the result.
03to influence a choice
B2 · Upper Intermediate
v. to make someone else make a choice.
v. to cause someone to reach a specific decision or conclusion.
“The high price of the car finally decided me against buying it.”
“It was her passion for social justice that ultimately decided him to join the non-profit organisation.”
Usage
Often used in the pattern 'decide someone to do something' or 'decide someone against something'.
04computing logic
C2 · Proficiency Computing Technical
v. to give a correct yes-or-no answer to a problem every time.
v. Of an algorithm or Turing machine: to provide a correct binary output for every possible input within a given set.
“The program is designed to decide if a number is prime or not.”
“A fundamental question in complexity theory is whether a specific machine can decide the language in polynomial time.”
Etymology
From Middle English deciden, from Old French decider, from Latin dēcīdere, infinitive of dēcīdō (“cut off, decide”), from dē (“down from”) + caedō (“cut”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
Grammar
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.A1 MoversIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.2.0–3.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 1.0–1.50–23TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.120–224
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- A1 · BeginnerOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/decide
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「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0