appoint

Etymology

From Middle English apointen, borrowed from Old French apointier (“to prepare, arrange, lean, place”) (French appointer (“to give a salary, refer a cause”)), from Late Latin appunctare (“to bring back to the point, restore, to fix the point in a controversy, or the points in an agreement”); Latin ad + punctum (“a point”). See point.

verb

1. (transitive) To set, fix or determine (a time or place for something such as a meeting, or the meeting itself) by authority or agreement.
   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
   We have to wait until they're ready to receive us, and make sure we turn up at the appointed time. November 8 2014, Ivan Hewett, “Art on demand makes emperors of us all”, in The Telegraph
2. (transitive) To name (someone to a post or role).
   Neal Kwatra, appointed by Cuomo to be the state Democratic Party's chief campaign strategist, was identified by two key Democratic insiders… November 3 2014, Fredric U. Dicker, “Cuomo appointed 'vote or else' strategist”, in New York Post
3. (transitive) To furnish or equip (a place) completely; to provide with all the equipment or furnishings necessary; to fit out.
   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. (transitive) To 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. (transitive, law) To 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. (obsolete, transitive) To fix with power or firmness by decree or command; to ordain or establish.
7. (obsolete, intransitive) To resolve; to determine; to ordain.
   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, page 251