attribute

plural attributes

1. A characteristic or quality of a thing.

   His finest attribute is his kindness.

2. An object that is considered typical of someone or some function, in particular as an artistic convention.

   The eagle and the bolt of lightning are attributes of Jove.

3. grammarA word that qualifies a noun.

   Synonyms: qualifier

4. human sciencesThat which is predicated or affirmed of a subject; a predicate; an accident.
5. object-oriented programmingcomputingAn option or setting belonging to some object.

   This packet has its coherency attribute set to zero.

   1 more example

   A file with the read-only attribute set cannot be overwritten.

6. computingA semantic item with which a method or other code element may be decorated.

   Properties can be marked as obsolete with an attribute, which will cause the compiler to generate a warning if they are used.

   1 more example

   This attribute is used to declare in metadata that the attributed method or class requires SocketPermission of the declared form.

   2003, Peter Drayton, Ben Albahari, Ted Neward, C# in a Nutshell, page 536

7. datedcomputer graphicsA numeric value representing the colours of part of the screen display.

   If any of the video buffer's background attribute bits are on, MONO converts the attribute to 70h (inverse video).

   1989, PC: The Independent Guide to IBM Personal Computers

   1 more example

   […] you can only carry two objects, your attributes clash when you walk past multi-coloured objects and your enemies fly up and down from the ceiling.

   1987, Marcus Berkmann, Sceptre Of Bagdad (video game review) in Your Sinclair issue 17

present singular third person attributes · participle present attributing · participle past attributed · past attributed · first person past singular attributed · archaic present second person singular attributest · past second person singular attributed · archaic past second person singular attributedst · present singular third person attributes · archaic present singular third person attributeth · past singular third person attributed · past plural attributed · past subjunctive attributed · participle present attributing · participle past attributed

1. transitiveTo ascribe (something) to a given cause, reason etc.; to affix.

   For as this is the liquor of modern historians, nay, perhaps their muse, if we may believe the opinion of Butler, who attributes inspiration to ale, it ought likewise to be the potation of their readers, since every book ought to be read with the same spirit and in the same manner as it is writ.

   1749, Henry Fielding, chapter I, in The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, volume (please specify |volume=I to VI), London: A[ndrew] Millar, […], →OCLC, book IV

   Synonyms: lay, impute, accredit, ascribe, attach, chalk up to, charge, draw

2. transitiveTo associate ownership or authorship of (something) to someone.

   This poem is attributed to Browning.

   3 more examples

   We attribute nothing to God that hath any repugnancy or contradiction in it.

   1664, John Tillotson, “Sermon I. The Wisdom of Being Religious. Job XXVIII. 28.”, in The Works of the Most Reverend Dr. John Tillotson, Late Lord Archbishop of Canterbury: […], London: […] B. Aylmer, […]; [a]nd W. Rogers, […], published 1696, →OCLC

   It is to be recouered, but that the merit of ſeruice is ſeldom attributed to the true and exact performer, I would haue that drumme or another, or hic iacet.

   c. 1604–1605 (date written), William Shakespeare, “All’s Well, that Ends Well”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene vi], page 244, column 1

   Hākim's atypical actions should not be attributed to Islam as much as to insanity, which eventually led him to proclaim himself as Allah, whereupon he was murdered by outraged fellow Muslims.

   2009, Diarmaid MacCulloch, A History of Christianity, Penguin, published 2010, page 278