realize

present singular third person realizes · participle present realizing · participle past realized · past realized · first person past singular realized · archaic present second person singular realizest · past second person singular realized · archaic past second person singular realizedst · present singular third person realizes · archaic present singular third person realizeth · past singular third person realized · past plural realized · past subjunctive realized · participle present realizing · participle past realized · alternative realise

1. UStransitiveTo become aware of, understand, or appreciate (a fact or situation, especially something which has been true for some time).

   He realized that he had left his umbrella on the train.

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   She desperately yelled at her young daughter, frantic to make her realize what she had done.

   [S]he cannot realize the change we must undergo. She has no idea of poverty but in the abstract: she has only read of it in poetry, where it is allied to love.

   1819 June 23, Geoffrey Crayon [pseudonym; Washington Irving], “The Wife”, in The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent., number I, New York, N.Y.: […] C[ornelius] S. Van Winkle, […], →OCLC, page 49

   But Scott, unaccountable as it seems, evidently failed to realize how far superior is Clara Mowbray [in Saint Ronan's Well] to all his other heroines of the same rank or class.

   1825–1832, Algernon Charles Swinburne, “The Journal of Sir Walter Scott”, in Studies in Prose and Poetry, London: Chatto & Windus, […], →OCLC, page 17

   Have faith in God! He shall dispose thy lot, / Nor weep for woe thou realisest not: / They shall precede thee to the better land, / And meet and greet thee on its joyful strand.

   [1849], “‘Woman, Why Weepest Thou?’”, in Memorials of Bertie’s Brother and Infant Sister. […], London: Ward and Co., […], →OCLC, page 79

   For so bight and placid was the farewell voyage of the little spirit [of a child], […] that it was impossible to realize that it was death that was approaching.

   1851 June – 1852 April, Harriet Beecher Stowe, “Death”, in Uncle Tom’s Cabin; or, Life among the Lowly, volume II, Boston, Mass.: John P[unchard] Jewett & Company; Cleveland, Oh.: Jewett, Proctor & Worthington, published 20 March 1852, →OCLC, page 109

2. UStransitiveTo sense (something) strongly or vividly as if real.

   That any civilized human being in this nineteenth century should not be aware that the earth travelled round the sun appeared to be to me such an extraordinary fact that I could hardly realize it.

   1887, A[rthur] Conan Doyle, “A Study in Scarlet”, in Beeton’s Christmas Annual, London; New York, N.Y.: Ward, Lock & Co., part I (Being a reprint from the reminiscences of John H. Watson, M.D., […]), chapter II (The Science of Deduction), page 9

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   Over the mind of the tourist, visiting the Old World for the first time,—countries where have transpired thrilling events recorded in history, what an immensity of thought and feeling sweeps! It was thus with Natalie; she could not realize that she was treading in the footsteps of royalty, who living in long past days, had held sway over this land, had looked upon this land of "merrie England" as their home.

   1859, Ferna Vale [pseudonym; Emma V. Hallett], “We are Going Home”, in Natalie; or, A Gem among the Sea-weeds. […], Andover, Mass.: W[arren] F[ales] Draper, →OCLC, page 286

3. transitiveTo cause (something) to seem real; to make realistic; specifically, to present (something) clearly to the mind, a person, (archaic) oneself, etc., so that it seems real.

   [F]aith realiſeth the ſufferings of Chriſt; it looks upon Chriſt as the common treaſury of all grace, as the principle of life, and root of holineſs.

   a. 1733 (date written), Thomas Boston, “The Danger of Unworthy Communicating”, in An Illustration of the Doctrines of the Christian Religion, with Reference to Faith and Practice. […], 2nd edition, volume III, Edinburgh: […] Schaw and Pillans, for the Reverend Joseph Johnston, […], published 1796, →OCLC, paragraph 2, page 348

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   Its true that Faith may be ſaid, as you ſpeak, to Realize ſalvation to the Soul; that is, vvhen the Soul doubteth vvhether there be indeed ſuch a Glory and Salvation to be expected and enjoyed by Believers, as Chriſt hath promiſed, here Faith apprehendeth it as Real or Certain, and ſo reſolves the doubt.

   1654, Richard Baxter, “Rich. Baxter’s Account Given to His Reverend Brother Mr T[homas] Blake of the Reasons of his Dissent from the Doctrine of His Exceptions in His Late Treatise of the Covenants. §. 73.”, in Rich. Baxter’s Apology against the Modest Exceptions of Mr. T[homas] Blake and the Digression of Mr. G[eorge] Kendall. […], London: […] A. M. for Thomas Underhill, […], and Francis Tyton […], →OCLC, pages 130–131

   [T]rue Faith is ſuch as realizeth Things abſent, remote and future. That it is not the nearneſs of a thing makes it real; but Faith ſeeth a Thing to be real, though afar off; vvhen vve are apt to judge many times of the reality of things, becauſe they are near.

   1684, [anonymous], “The Life of Mr. Henry Dorney”, in Henry Dorney, Divine Contemplations, and Spiritual Breathings of Mr. Henry Dorney: […], London: […] James Rawlins, for John Wright, […], →OCLC, pages 16–17

   [I]t vvas ſo vvarm in my Imagination, and ſo realiz'd to me, that to the Hour I ſavv them, I could not be perſuaded, but that it vvas or vvould be true; […]

   1719, [Daniel Defoe], The Farther Adventures of Robinson Crusoe; […], London: […] W[illiam] Taylor […], →OCLC, page 4

   The terror they [apprehensions] gave me, ſeveral times avvakened me; but ſtill, as I cloſed my eyes, I fell into them again. VVhence, my dear, proceed theſe ideal vagaries, vvhich, for the time, realize pain or pleaſure to us, according to their hue or complexion, or rather according to our ovvn?

   1753 (indicated as 1754), [Samuel Richardson], “Letter XXXV. Miss Byron. In Continuation.”, in The History of Sir Charles Grandison. […], volume V, London: […] S[amuel] Richardson; [a]nd sold by C. Hitch and L. Hawes, […], →OCLC, page 238

   PUFF. But take care, my dear Dangle, the morning gun is going to fire. [Cannon fires.] / DANGLE. VVell, that vvill have a fine effect. / PUFF. I think ſo, and helps to realize the ſcene.— […]

   1781, Richard Brinsley Sheridan, The Critic: Or A Tragedy Rehearsed […], London: […] T[homas] Becket, […], →OCLC, Act II, scene ii, page 64

   Antonyms: derealize

4. transitivechiefly passive voice; slightly formal; chiefly passive voice; slightly formalTo convert (something imaginary or planned, as a goal or idea) into reality; to bring into real existence, to make real.First known use early 17th c.

   The objectives of the project were never fully realized.

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   Near-synonyms: implement, execute; actualize, materialize, embody; accomplish

   The Apoſtle ſaith, That by Adam ſinne entred into the vvorld. It ſufficeth to knovv; That God, by juſt imputation, realizeth the infection into the vvhole race of Adam; in vvhom vve vvere as in a common Lumpe, and in his leaven ſovvred: […]

   1640, Ezekias [i.e., Hezekiah] Woodward, “The Preface, Shewing the Necessitie and Worth of a Vertuous Education, and may Serve as an Introduction to Dutie”, in A Childes Patrimony. Laid out upon the Good Nurture, or Tilling over the Whole Man. […], London: […] I[ohn] L[egate] and are to be sold by Henry Overton, […], →OCLC, pages 44–45

   [I]f vve defæcate the notion from materiality, […] it vvill be as hard to apprehend, as that an empty vviſh ſhould remove Mountains: a ſuppoſition vvhich if realized, vvould relieve Siſyphus.

   1661, Joseph Glanvill, chapter III, in The Vanity of Dogmatizing: Or Confidence in Opinions. […], London: […] E. C[otes] for Henry Eversden […], →OCLC, page 22

   [W]e realize vvhat Archimedes had only in Hypotheſis; vveighing a ſingle grain againſt the Globe of Earth.

   1665, Joseph Glanvill, chapter XVII, in Scepsis Scientifica: Or, Confest Ignorance, the Way to Science; […], London: […] E. C[otes] for Henry Eversden […], →OCLC, page 102

   Rich Death, that realizes all my Cares, / Toils, Virtues, Hopes; vvithout it, a Chimera!

   1742, [Edward Young], “Night the Third. Narcissa. […]”, in The Complaint: Or, Night-Thoughts on Life, Death, & Immortality, London: […] R[obert] Dodsley, […], and T[homas] Cooper, […], →OCLC, page 25

   Synonyms: implement, execute, actualize, materialize, embody, accomplish · Antonyms: disrealize

5. reflexivetransitiveTo achieve (one's) potential.
6. transitivebusinessTo convert (an asset or property, especially investments such as bonds, shares, etc.) into a more easily usable form such as money, especially by selling the asset or property.

   Profits from the investment can be realized at any time by selling the shares.

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   By realizing the company’s assets, the liquidator was able to return most of the shareholders’ investments.

   A dealer doing a large amount of business, and turning over his capital rapidly, has but a small portion of it in ready money at any one time. […] [W]hen he retires from business it is into money that he converts the whole, and not until then does he deem himself to have realized his gains: […]

   1848, John Stuart Mill, “Preliminary Remarks”, in Principles of Political Economy: With Some of Their Applications to Social Philosophy. […], volume I, London: John W[illiam] Parker, […], →OCLC, book I (Production), page 5

   [H]is client was willing to realize most of his assets in order to provide for his wife and eldest daughter.

   1988 October, Maeve Binchy, “Maureen”, in Silver Wedding, London: Guild Publishing, published 1988, →OCLC, page 150

7. transitivebusinessTo acquire (money, a profit, etc.) by selling an asset or property, through trade, etc.; also (followed by on), to make (money or a profit) on an investment, a venture, etc.

   to realize large profits from a speculation

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   The tvvo Perſons here mentioned vvere of Quality, each of vvhom in the time of the Miſſiſipi deſpis'd to realize above three hundred thouſand pounds.

   1735, Alexander Pope, “Notes. Epistle to Lord Bathurst, Ver. 20.”, in The Works of Mr. Alexander Pope, volume II, London: […] J. Wright, for Lawton Gilliver […], →OCLC, page 211

   Knighthood was not beyond the reach of any man who could by diligent thrift realise a good estate.

   1849, Thomas Babington Macaulay, chapter I, in The History of England from the Accession of James II, volume I, London: Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans, →OCLC, page 38

   Rodney explained that he knew I cared about the things, and was proud of them, but he'd always supposed I meant to "realize" on them, just as he did, and that it would come to money in the end.

   1925, Willa Cather, chapter VI, in The Professor’s House, New York, N.Y.: Alfred A[braham] Knopf, →OCLC, book II (Tom Outland’s Story), page 244

8. transitivebusinessOf an asset or property: to generate (a specific amount of money or interest) when invested or sold.
9. transitivehuman sciencesTo turn (an abstract linguistic object, especially a phoneme) into a speech sound actually used in a language.

   The southern /v/ is realized as the voiced approximant [ʋ].

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   The phonetic realization of schwa varies; […] Many (probably most) speakers realize it as [ø] or [œ] in other contexts as well. In Midi French, schwa is realized more frequently than in northern varieties, including in word-final position, where it generally (but not always) corresponds to etymological /ə/.

   2016, John Charles Smith, “French and Northern Gallo-Romance”, in Adam Ledgeway, Martin Maiden, editors, The Oxford Guide to the Romance Languages (Oxford Linguistics; Oxford Guides to the World’s Languages), Oxford, Oxfordshire: Oxford University Press, →ISBN, part III (Individual Structural Overviews), page 297, column 1

10. transitivemathematicsTo obtain an entity from (an abstract group or structure).
11. transitiveentertainmentTo arrange (a musical work written for a single performer) to be performed by an orchestra; to orchestrate.
12. transitiveentertainmentTo complete (a musical work which is incomplete or not fully notated).
13. transitiveentertainmentChiefly in Baroque music: to play an accompaniment, harmonies, etc., based on (a figured bass).
14. USobsoletetransitiveTo have an actual or real experience of (something).
15. intransitiveTo become aware of or understand a fact or situation.

    Synonyms: tumble

16. intransitiveTo cause to seem real; to make realistic.

    [Johann Wolfgang von] Goethe never sculptured an Apollo, nor painted a Madonna. He gives us only sinful Magdalens and rampant Fauns. He does not so much idealize as realize.

    1839, [Henry Wadsworth Longfellow], “Old Humbug”, in Hyperion, a Romance. […], volume I, New York, N.Y.: Samuel Colman […], →OCLC, 2nd book, page 179

17. intransitivebusinessTo convert an asset or property into a more easily usable form such as money.

    Wary men took the alarm, and began to realize, a word now first brought into use to express the conversion of ideal property into something real.

    1855, Washington Irving, “[A Time of Unexampled Prosperity.] The Great Mississippi Bubble.”, in Wolfert’s Roost and Other Papers, […], New York, N.Y.: G[eorge] P[almer] Putnam & Co., […], →OCLC, page 174

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    A lucky purchase which he had made of shares in a copper-mine added very considerably to his wealth, and he realised with great prudence while this mine was still at its full vogue.

    1848 November – 1850 December, William Makepeace Thackeray, “A Pedigree and Other Family Matters”, in The History of Pendennis. […], volume I, London: Bradbury and Evans, […], published 1849, →OCLC, page 10

18. intransitivebusinessFollowed by on or upon: to acquire money or a profit from the sale of an asset or property.
19. intransitiveobsoletebusinessWith an adverb like badly or well: of an asset or property being sold: to generate little or a lot of money.

    The estate is expected to realize well as it comprises many valuable assets.