determine

Etymology

From Middle English determinen, from Old French determiner, French déterminer, from Latin determināre (“to bound, limit, prescribe, fix, determine”), from de + termināre (“to limit”), from terminus (“bound, limit, end”).

verb

1. To set the boundaries or limits of.
   [God] hath determined the times before appointed. 1611, Bible, KJV edition, Acts 17:26
   The knowledge of men hitherto hath been determined by the view or sight. 1844, Francis Bacon, The Works of Francis Bacon, Lord Chancellor of England
2. To ascertain definitely; to figure out, find out, or conclude by analyzing, calculating, or investigating.
   Whether modern, industrial man is less or more warlike than his hunter-gatherer ancestors is impossible to determine. The machine gun is so much more lethal than the bow and arrow that comparisons are meaningless. 2013-07-20, “Old soldiers?”, in The Economist, volume 408, number 8845
3. To fix the form or character of; to shape; to prescribe imperatively; to regulate; to settle.
   The character of the soul is determined by the character of its God. 8 July 1741, Jonathan Edwards, Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God
   something divinely beautiful […] that at some time or other might influence or even determine her course of life 1913, W. Black, 1913 Webster's Dictionary
4. To fix the course of; to impel and direct; with a remoter object preceded by to.
   The news of his father's illness determined him to depart immediately.
5. To bring to a conclusion, as a question or controversy; to settle authoritative or judicial sentence; to decide.
   The court has determined the cause.
6. To resolve (to do something); to establish a fixed intention; to cause (something) to come to a conclusion or decision; to lead.
   I determined to go home at once.
7. (logic) To define or limit by adding a differentia.
8. (law, otherwise obsolete) To bring to an end; to finish.
   If a lease is determined by notice, forfeiture or frustration, all incumbrances will normally end automatically with the determination of the lease and can therefore be ignored. 2021, HM Land Registry, Practice guide 26: leases – determination, archived from the original on 2021-10-04
   Now, where is he that will not stay so long / Till his friend sickness hath determined me? c. 1596–1599, William Shakespeare, Henry IV, Part 2, act 4, scene 5