sentence

plural sentences

1. datedThe decision or judgement of a jury or court; a verdict.First known use 14th c.

   The court returned a sentence of guilt in the first charge, but innocence in the second.

   1 more example

   A branch that has played a significant part in the history of its territory is under sentence at the end of the summer timetables, so far as its passenger services are concerned.

   1959 October, Colin G. Maggs, “The Bristol-Frome branch of the W.R.”, in Trains Illustrated, page 473

2. The judicial order for a punishment to be imposed on a person convicted of a crime.First known use 14th c.

   The judge declared a sentence of death by hanging for the infamous child rapist.

   2 more examples

   The murderer, he recalled, had been tried and sentenced to imprisonment for life, but was pardoned by a merciful governor after serving a year of his sentence.

   1900, Charles W[addell] Chesnutt, chapter I, in The House Behind the Cedars, Boston, Mass.; New York, N.Y.: Houghton, Mifflin and Company […], →OCLC

   While Christopher Below was released in 2021 after completing his sentence, Hall is currently still serving his life sentence in federal prison for a 1993 kidnapping he confessed to.

   2026 August 6, Nicholas Muhoro, “An Ohio Teen Vanished During a One-Mile Drive in 1994. Her Locked Car Was Found Hours Later”, in Skip Boring, archived from the original on 06 Aug 2026

3. A punishment imposed on a person convicted of a crime.
4. obsoleteA saying, especially from a great person; a maxim, an apophthegm.First known use 14th–19th c.

   I am told that she writes well, and that all her letters are full of sentences.

   1748, [Samuel Richardson], “Letter LII”, in Clarissa. Or, The History of a Young Lady: […], volume IV, London: […] S[amuel] Richardson; [a]nd sold by John Osborn, […], →OCLC

   1 more example

   Men (saith an ancient Greek sentence) are tormented by the opinions they have of things, and not by things themselves.

   1603, Michel de Montaigne, chapter 40, in John Florio, transl., The Essayes […], book I, London: […] Val[entine] Simmes for Edward Blount […], →OCLC

5. grammarA grammatically complete series of words consisting of a subject and predicate, even if one or the other is implied. In modern writing, when using, e.g., the Latin, Greek or Cyrillic alphabets, typically beginning with a capital letter and ending with a full stop or other punctuation.First known use 15th c.

   Near-synonym: clause

   1 more example

   The children were made to construct sentences consisting of nouns and verbs from the list on the chalkboard.

   Synonyms: clause

6. human sciencesA formula with no free variables.First known use 20th c.
7. computingAny of the set of strings that can be generated by a given formal grammar.First known use 20th c.
8. obsoleteSense; meaning; significance.

   Full of high sentence, but a bit obtuse; […]

   1915 June, T[homas] S[tearns] Eliot, “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock”, in Prufrock and Other Observations, London: The Egoist […], published 1917, →OCLC, page 15

   2 more examples

   Noght o word spak he moore than was neede, / And that was seyd in forme and reverence / And short and quyk and ful of hy sentence […]

   [1387–1400, Geoffrey Chaucer, “The Prologues”, in The Canterbury Tales (in Middle English), [Westminster: William Caxton, published 1478], →OCLC; republished in [William Thynne], editor, The Workes of Geffray Chaucer Newlye Printed, […], [London]: […] [Richard Grafton for] Iohn Reynes […], 1542, →OCLC

   now to the discourse itself, voluble enough, and full of sentence, but that, for the most part, either specious rather than solid, or to his cause nothing pertinent.

   1649, J[ohn] Milton, ΕΙΚΟΝΟΚΛΆΣΤΗΣ [Eikonoklástēs] […], London: […] Matthew Simmons, […], →OCLC

9. obsoleteOne's opinion; manner of thinking.First known use 14th–17th c.

   My sentence is for open war.

   1667, John Milton, “Book II”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC

   1 more example

   The book of ſentences, which rendered the name of Peter Lombard ſo illuſtrious, was a compilation of ſentences, and paſſages, drawn from the fathers, whoſe manifold contradictions, this eminent prelate endeavoured to reconcile.

   1764, Johann Lorenz von Mosheim, translated by Archibald Maclaine, An Ecclesiastical History, Antient and Modern, from the Birth of Christ to the Beginning of the Present Century, page 598

10. archaicA pronounced opinion or judgment on a given question.First known use 14th c.

    By them [Martin Luther's works] we might pass sentence upon his doctrines.

    1687, Francis Atterbury, An Answer to Some Considerations on the Spirit of Martin Luther and the Original of the Reformation; […], Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] [Sheldonian] Theater, →OCLC

    1 more example

    [I]f it may bee lawfull to iudge or giue any ſentence thereof, it [the author of the book of Ruth] was either Samuell, or ſome other godly Prophet vnder the raigne of Saule, [...]

    1596, Edward Topsell, The Reward of Religion: Deliuered in Sundry Lectures Vpon the Booke of Ruth : Wherein the Godly May See Their Dayly Both Inward and Outward Trials : with the Presence of God to Assist Them, and His Mercies to Recompence Them …, London: John Windet, published 1601, page 1

present singular third person sentences · participle present sentencing · participle past sentenced · past sentenced

1. transitiveTo declare a sentence on a convicted person; to condemn to punishment.

   The judge sentenced the embezzler to ten years in prison, along with a hefty fine.

   5 more examples

   Nature herself is sentenced in your doom.

   1675, John Dryden, Aureng-zebe: A Tragedy. […], London: […] T[homas] N[ewcomb] for Henry Herringman, […], published 1676, →OCLC, (please specify the page number)

   1900, Charles W. Chesnutt, The House Behind the Cedars, Chapter I, The murderer, he recalled, had been tried and sentenced to imprisonment for life, but was pardoned by a merciful governor after serving a year of his sentence.

   Moreover, in 2002 two EPB officials in Yangcheng County, Shanxi Province, were sentenced to jail for failing to stop a chemical plant from discharging toxic waste into the drinking-water system.

   2005, Elizabeth Economy, “Environmental Enforcement in China”, in Kristen A. Day, editor, China's Environment and the Challenge of Sustainable Development, →ISBN, →LCCN, →OCLC, →OL, page 109

   On Thursday, a court in south China's Hunan province sentenced a Chinese journalist, Yang Xiaoqing, to one year in jail for extortion after he wrote articles about official corruption.

   2006 June 16, “China holds closed trial for researcher - Asia - Pacific - International Herald Tribune”, in The New York Times, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 05 Aug 2023, ASIA PACIFIC

   And at that point, we have sentenced a child to motherhood.

   2016 February 21, “Abortion Laws”, in Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, season 3, episode 2, John Oliver (actor), via HBO

   Synonyms: adjudge, condemn, doom, adjudge, convict, condemn, damn, deem

2. especiallypoeticlawTo decree, announce, or pass as a sentence.

   “We are empowered to deliver thee to prison; yea, the law commands us to sentence death upon the abettors of this mischief.[…]"

   1874, Ella Taylor Disosway, South Meadows: A Tale of Long Ago, page 235

   3 more examples

   So as far as the older generation of German Lutherans were concerned, the abolition of the mother language sentenced death upon the church as they knew it.

   1977, Eugene B. Meier, How was the Acculturation of Children of Alt Lutheraner Descent in Wisconsin 1843 - 1915 Affected by the Relationship of Home and Market?: A Case Study, page 150

   But little did I know, As I cleared away that snow, I'd sentenced death upon that rose, For late that night it simply froze. I'd taken its one chance away, As I stripped it of its quilt that day. I learned a lesson late that night, ...

   1991, Joe Wayman, If You Promise Not to Tell, Pieces of Learning, →ISBN, page 36

   […] upholding Idaho statute mandating that court "shall" sentence death upon finding an aggravating circumstance "unless" it finds outweighing mitigating circumstances because satisfies individualized sentencing requirement […]

   1996, United States. Court of Appeals (9th Circuit), Annual Report of the Ninth Circuit, page 137

3. obsoleteTo utter sententiously.

   Let me heare one wise man sentence it, rather then twenty Fooles, garrulous in their lengthened tattle.

   1623, Owen Feltham, Resolves: Divine, Moral, Political