sort

[sawrt]

noun

1. a particular kind, species, variety, class, or group, distinguished by a common character or nature.

   to develop a new sort of painting;

   nice people, of course, but not really our sort.

   Synonyms: nature, character, rank, order, family, class

2. character, quality, or nature.

   young people of a nice sort.

3. an example of something that is undistinguished or barely adequate.

   He is a sort of poet.

4. manner, fashion, or way.

   We spoke in this sort for several minutes.

5. Printing.

   1. any of the individual characters making up a font of type.

   2. characters of a particular font that are rarely used.

6. an instance of sorting.

verb (used with object)

1. to arrange according to sort, kind, or class; separate into sorts; classify.

   to sort socks;

   to sort eggs by grade.

2. to separate or take from other sorts or from others (often followed byout ): to sort out the children's socks.

   to sort the good from the bad;

   to sort out the children's socks.

3. to assign to a particular class, group, or place (often followed by with, together, etc.).

   to sort people together indiscriminately.

4. Scot.,  to provide with food and shelter.

5. Computers.,  to place (records) in order, as numerical or alphabetical, based on the contents of one or more keys contained in each record.

verb (used without object)

1. Archaic.,  to suit; agree; fit.

2. British Dialect.,  to associate, mingle, or be friendly.

verb phrase

1. sort out

   1. to evolve; develop; turn out.

      We'll just have to wait and see how things sort out.

   2. to put in order; clarify.

      After I sort things out here, I'll be able to concentrate on your problem.

sort

/ sɔːt /

noun

1. a class, group, kind, etc, as distinguished by some common quality or characteristic

2. informal,  type of character, nature, etc

   he's a good sort

3. a more or less definable or adequate example

   it's a sort of review

4. (often plural) printing any of the individual characters making up a fount of type

5. archaic,  manner; way

   in this sort we struggled home

6. to some extent

7. 1. of an inferior kind

   2. of an indefinite kind

8. not in normal good health, temper, etc

9. informal

   1. (adverb) in some way or other; as it were; rather

   2. (sentence substitute) used to express reservation or qualified assent

      I’m only joking. Sort of

verb

1. (tr) to arrange according to class, type, etc

2. (tr) to put (something) into working order

3. (tr) to arrange (computer information) by machine in an order convenient to the computer user

4. informal,  to supply, esp with drugs

5. archaic,  (intr; foll by with, together, etc) to associate, as on friendly terms

6. archaic,  (intr) to agree; accord

Usage

See kind ².

Other Word Forms

• sortable adjective
• sortably adverb
• sorter noun
• missort verb
• subsort verb
• subsorter noun
• undersort verb (used with object)
• unsort verb (used with object)
• unsortable adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of sort¹

First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English noun, from Middle French sorte, from Medieval Latin sort- (stem of sors ) “kind, allotted status or portion, lot,” Latin: originally, “lot (for voting)”; Middle English verb sorten “to allot, arrange, assort,” from Middle French sortir or directly from Latin sortīrī “to draw lots,” derivative of sors; later senses influenced by the noun and by assort

Word History and Origins

Origin of sort¹

C14: from Old French, from Medieval Latin sors kind, from Latin: fate

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. out of sorts,

   1. in low spirits; depressed.

   2. in poor health; indisposed; ill.

   3. in a bad temper; irritable.

      to be out of sorts because of the weather.

   4. Printing. short of certain characters of a font of type.

2. of sorts, Also of a sort

   1. of a mediocre or poor kind.

      a tennis player of sorts.

   2. of one sort or another; of an indefinite kind.

3. sort of, in a way; somewhat; rather.

   Their conversation was sort of tiresome.

see after a fashion (sort); all kinds (sorts) of; bad sort; it takes all sorts; kind (sort) of; nothing of the kind (sort); of sorts; out of sorts.

Example Sentences

Readers told me all sorts of stories about why doctors wrote off or misjudged their symptoms.

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A similar sort of casting kismet struck with Frankenstein when Andrew Garfield’s schedule forced him out of the monster role nine weeks before shooting was set to begin.

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And despite his view of Nick’s new ambitions, Nelson invites him to a sort of dance-off, in a moment both playful and poignant; they can find communion in dance that eludes them whenever they talk.

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In Dan Chaon’s novel, a pair of psychically gifted twins find a home, of sorts, among a crew of circus freaks.

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But the circle of pianos provided a sort of unified backdrop that held it all together.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• array 
• character 
• description 
• kind 
• lot 
• nature 
• number 
• quality 
• set 
• style