establish

[ih-stab-lish]

verb (used with object)

1. to found, institute, build, or bring into being on a firm or stable basis.

   to establish a university; to establish a medical practice.

   Synonyms: organize, form
   Antonyms: abolish

2. to install or settle in a position, place, business, etc..

   to establish one's child in business.

3. to show to be valid or true; prove.

   to establish the facts of the matter.

   Synonyms: substantiate, verify
   Antonyms: disprove

4. to cause to be accepted or recognized.

   to establish a custom; She established herself as a leading surgeon.

5. to bring about permanently.

   to establish order.

6. to enact, appoint, or ordain for permanence, as a law; fix unalterably.

   Synonyms: decree

7. to make (a church) a national or state institution.

8. Cards.,  to obtain control of (a suit) so that one can win all the subsequent tricks in it.

establish

/ ɪˈstæblɪʃ /

verb

1. to make secure or permanent in a certain place, condition, job, etc

   to establish one's usefulness

   to establish a house

2. to create or set up (an organization, etc) on or as if on a permanent basis

   to establish a company

3. to prove correct or free from doubt; validate

   to establish a fact

4. to cause (a principle, theory, etc) to be widely or permanently accepted

   to establish a precedent

5. to give (a Church) the status of a national institution

6. (of a person) to become recognized and accepted

   he established himself as a reliable GP

7. (in works of imagination) to cause (a character, place, etc) to be credible and recognized

   the first scene established the period

8. cards to make winners of (the remaining cards of a suit) by forcing out opponents' top cards

9. (also intr) botany

   1. to cause (a plant) to grow or (of a plant) to grow in a new place

      the birch scrub has established over the past 25 years

   2. to become or cause to become a sapling or adult plant from a seedling

Other Word Forms

• establisher noun
• establishable adjective
• reestablish verb (used with object)
• superestablish verb (used with object)
• unestablishable adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of establish¹

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English establissen, establishen, from Middle French establiss-, extended stem of establir, from Latin stabilīre, derivative of stabilis stable ²

Word History and Origins

Origin of establish¹

C14: from Old French establir, from Latin stabilīre to make firm, from stabilis _stable ²

Synonym Study

See fix.

Example Sentences

But when he went for a job interview at the confectionery factory in York that his great-great-grandfather Joseph Rowntree helped to establish, he acknowledges he felt a "really nice connection" to the past.

Read more on BBC

He later established the 1-1-1 philanthropic model, which has sought to give 1% of equity, product, and employee time to social causes.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

It legally belongs to a foundation he established called Isocrates.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Now, his players having established they know what it takes to win following a smackdown of Michigan State, he’s asking them to maintain their approach.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

"The EU should have a key role also in the recovery and reconstruction process," the document said, pointing to a "Palestine Donor Group" Brussels is pushing to establish.

Read more on Barron's

Related Words

• authorize 
• base 
• build 
• create 
• enact 
• form 
• found 
• inaugurate 
• install 
• institute 
• provide 
• put 
• settle 
• start