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definitions

establish

[ih-stab-lish]
See more synonyms for establish on Thesaurus.com
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.
  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.
  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.
  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.

Origin of establish

1325–75; Middle English establissen < Middle French establiss-, extended stem of establir < Latin stabilīre, akin to stabilis stable2
Related formses·tab·lish·a·ble, adjectivees·tab·lish·er, nounqua·si-es·tab·lished, adjectivere·es·tab·lish, verb (used with object)su·per·es·tab·lish, verb (used with object)un·es·tab·lish·a·ble, adjective

Synonyms for establish

See more synonyms for on Thesaurus.com
1. form, organize. See fix. 3. verify, substantiate. 6. decree.

Antonyms for establish

1. abolish. 3. disprove.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words for establish

authorize, settle, form, provide, create, start, base, build, install, put, found, inaugurate, institute, enact, prove, formulate, ratify, make, confirm, determine

Examples from the Web for establish

Contemporary Examples of establish

Historical Examples of establish

  • This must have been the case, though Keightley had failed to establish it.

  • Besides, he did not care to establish any relations with the people in the house.

    K

    Mary Roberts Rinehart

  • Passages taken at haphazard will suffice to establish my contention.

  • He would fight this disease before it could establish a hold.

    Dust

    Mr. and Mrs. Haldeman-Julius

  • He affected singularity, in order to establish his claims to genius.

British Dictionary definitions for establish

establish

verb (usually tr)
  1. to make secure or permanent in a certain place, condition, job, etcto establish one's usefulness; to establish a house
  2. to create or set up (an organization, etc) on or as if on a permanent basisto establish a company
  3. to prove correct or free from doubt; validateto establish a fact
  4. to cause (a principle, theory, etc) to be widely or permanently acceptedto establish a precedent
  5. to give (a Church) the status of a national institution
  6. (of a person) to become recognized and acceptedhe established himself as a reliable GP
  7. (in works of imagination) to cause (a character, place, etc) to be credible and recognizedthe 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 placethe birch scrub has established over the past 25 years
    2. to become or cause to become a sapling or adult plant from a seedling
Derived Formsestablisher, noun

Word Origin for establish

C14: from Old French establir, from Latin stabilīre to make firm, from stabilis stable ²
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for establish
v.

late 14c., from Old French establiss-, present participle stem of establir (12c., Modern French établir) "cause to stand still, establish, stipulate, set up, erect, build," from Latin stabilire "make stable," from stabilis "stable" (see stable (adj.)).

For initial e-, see especial. Related: Established; establishing. An established church or religion is one sanctioned by the state.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper