appoint

present singular third person appoints · participle present appointing · participle past appointed · past appointed

1. transitiveTo set, fix or determine (a time or place for something such as a meeting, or the meeting itself) by authority or agreement.

   We have to wait until they're ready to receive us, and make sure we turn up at the appointed time.

   2014 November 8, Ivan Hewett, “Art on demand makes emperors of us all”, in The Telegraph

   1 more example

   His Royal Highness called to pay his respects to her Majesty; but, from the unexpected nature of his visit, her Majesty was not in a state then to receive him; but soon after sent a letter to Prince Leopold, to appoint one o'clock this day for an interview.

   1820, The Edinburgh Annual Register

2. transitiveTo name (someone to a post or role).

   Aaron and his shall go in, and appoint them every one to his service.

   1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Numbers 4:19

   1 more example

   Neal Kwatra, appointed by Cuomo to be the state Democratic Party's chief campaign strategist, was identified by two key Democratic insiders[...]

   2014 November 3, Fredric U. Dicker, “Cuomo appointed 'vote or else' strategist”, in New York Post

   Synonyms: make, name, designate, nominate, institute

3. transitiveTo furnish or equip (a place) completely; to provide with all the equipment or furnishings necessary; to fit out.

   Their two-room apartment, which is neither fashionably appointed nor in a fashionable neighborhood

   1986, Joseph Beam, “Brother to Brother: Words from the Heart”, in Joseph Beam, editor, In The Life: A Black Gay Anthology, page 241

   2 more examples

   It was a handsome old stucco hall, very elegantly appointed, for Winter was a bachelor and prided himself on his style; but the place was beset by collieries.

   1928, D[avid] H[erbert] Lawrence, chapter X, in Lady Chatterley’s Lover, [Germany?]: Privately printed, →OCLC, page 151

   The hotel is beautifully designed and beautifully appointed in a classic, modern style that manages to be both serene and luxurious at the same time.

   2009, Donald Olson, Germany for Dummies

4. transitiveTo equip (someone) with (something); to assign (someone) authoritatively (some equipment).

   after mature Deliberation, he appointed them a Ship of seventy Tons,

   1747, William Stith, The History of the First Discovery and Settlement of Virginia, page 15

5. transitivelawTo fix the disposition of (property) by designating someone to take use of (it).

   If the donee of a power appoint the fund to one of the objects of the power, under an understanding that the latter is to lend the fund to tho former, although on good security, the appointment is bad.

   1828–29 (case decided), published in 1843, in the Reports of Cases Decided in the High Court of Chancery

6. obsoletetransitiveTo fix with power or firmness by decree or command; to ordain or establish.

   Thy servants are ready to do whatsoever my lord the king shall appoint.

   1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, 2 Samuel 15:15

   1 more example

   When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth:

   1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Proverbs 8:29

7. intransitiveobsoleteTo resolve; to determine; to ordain.

   For the Lord had appointed to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel.

   1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, 2 Samuel 17:14

   3 more examples

   The day being very stormy, we were obliged to keep at home; which I much regretted, as it abridged my opportunity of seeing the Jewish synagogues, as we had appointed to do to-day.

   1823 December 13, a record quoted in The Christian Library: A Reprint of Popular Religious Works (Richard Watson, Thomas Taylor, Thomas Raffles, etc; 1836)

   He had preached twice on the Lord's day, he preached also on Monday, and had appointed to do the same on Tuesday, but died that morning.

   1833, The Miscellaneous Works of the Rev. Matthew Henry

   On the following morning Lord Ballindine[,] as he had appointed to do, drove over to Dunmore, to settle with Martin about the money, and, if necessary, to go with him to the attorney's office in Tuam.

   1848, Anthony Trollope, The Kellys and the O'Kellys, →ISBN, page 251