appraise
Americanverb (used with object)
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to estimate the monetary value of; determine the worth of; assess.
We had an expert appraise the house before we bought it.
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to estimate the nature, quality, importance, etc..
He tried to appraise the poetry of John Updike.
verb
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to assess the worth, value, or quality of
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to make a valuation of, as for taxation purposes
Usage
Appraise is sometimes wrongly used where apprise is meant: they had been apprised ( not appraised ) of my arrival
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of appraise
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English apraysen “to set a value on”; probably equivalent to a conflation of apprize 1 and praise (with the sense of prize 2 )
Explanation
When you buy a house someone will need to appraise its value before you can get a mortgage. To appraise something is to figure out its worth in the marketplace, on the field, or in the world of ideas. To appraise the value of a friendship is difficult, but to appraise the value of your grandfather’s pocket watch — just go to the pawn shop. The verb appraise comes from the Late Latin word appretiare, which means “value” or “estimate.” You can appraise your chances of marrying royalty, which are probably slim. You can also appraise the value of a quarterback on your fantasy football team by looking at the statistics for his completed passes.
Vocabulary lists containing appraise
Of Mice and Men
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The Pearl
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"Of Mice and Men"
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Appraise them and their rituals for what you love, then show up for that, not for what they want from you.
From Washington Post • Dec. 15, 2021
Appraise the humor of Hot Tub Time Machine clips while sitting at various distances from the screen.
From Slate • Mar. 24, 2014
Appraise means “evaluate” or “size up”; apprise means “inform.”
From "Woe Is I" by Patricia T. O'Conner
Appraise the things you have, but measure not The things denied to your unhappy lot.
From Black Beetles in Amber by Bierce, Ambrose
"Appraise no poetry," he had cried: "price cuttlefish!"
From Browning's Heroines by Armfield, Maxwell
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
