Etymology : Middle English establissen, from Middle French establiss-, stem of establir, from Latin stabilire, from stabilis stable
Pronunciation : is-ta-blish
Function : transitive verb
Date : 14th century
1. set up, found; base. establish\es*tab"lish\ , v. t. [imp. & p. p. established ; p. pr. & vb. n. establishing.] [oe. establissen, of. establir, f. établir, fr. l. stabilire, fr. stabilis firm, steady, stable. see:
stable, a., -ish, and cf. stablish.].
2. to make stable or firm; to fix immovably or firmly; to set (a thing) in a place and make it stable there; to settle; to confirm. so were the churches established in the faith. xvi.
3. the best established tempers can scarcely forbear being borne down. confidence which must precede union could be established only by consummate prudence and self-control.
4. to appoint or constitute for permanence, as officers, laws, regulations, etc.; to enact; to ordain. by the consent of all, we were established the people's magistrates. now, o king, establish the decree, and sign the writing, that it be not changed. vi.
5. 3. to originate and secure the permanent existence of; to found; to institute; to create and regulate; -- said of a colony, a state, or other institutions. he hath established it [the earth], he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited. xlv.
6. woe to him that buildeth a town with blood, and establisheth a city by iniquity! ab. ii.
7. 4. to secure public recognition in favor of; to prove and cause to be accepted as true; as, to establish a fact, usage, principle, opinion, doctrine, etc. at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established. xix.
8. 5. to set up in business; to place advantageously in a fixed condition; -- used reflexively; as, he established himself in a place; the enemy established themselves in the citadel.establish v.
9. set up or found; "she set up a literacy program" [syn: set up , found, launch] [ant: abolish].
10. set up or lay the groundwork for; "establish a new department" [syn: found, plant, constitute, institute].
11. establish the validity of something; "this behavior shows his true nature" [syn: prove, demonstrate, show, shew] [ant: disprove].
12. institute, enact, or establish; "make laws" [syn: lay down, make].
13. bring about; "the trompe l'oeil-illusion establishes depth" [syn: give].
14. place; "her manager had set her up at the ritz" [syn: install, instal, set up].
15. use as a basis for; found on; "base a claim on some observation" [syn: base, ground, found].
16. build or establish something abstract; "build a reputation" [syn: build].
17. To make stable or firm; to fix immovably or firmly; to set in a place and make it stable there; to settle; to confirm.
18. To appoint or constitute for permanence, as officers, laws, regulations, etc.; to enact; to ordain.
19. To originate and secure the permanent existence of; to found; to institute; to create and regulate; said of a colony, a state, or other institutions.
20. To secure public recognition in favor of; to prove and cause to be accepted as true; as, to establish a fact, usage, principle, opinion, doctrine, etc.
21. To set up in business; to place advantageously in a fixed condition; used reflexively; as, he established himself in a place; the enemy established themselves in the citadel. use as a basis for; found on; "base a claim on some observation" set up or lay the groundwork for; "establish a new department" bring about; "The trompe l'oeil-illusion establishes depth" set up or found; "She set up a literacy program".
22. 1. If someone establishes something such as an organization, a type of activity, or a set of rules, they create it or introduce it in such a way that it is likely to last for a long time. The UN has established detailed criteria for who should be allowed to vote The School was established in 1989 by an Italian professor. = set up, found.
23. If you establish contact with someone, you start to have contact with them. You can also say that two people, groups, or countries establish contact. We had already established contact with the museum Singapore and South Africa have established diplomatic relations.
24. If you establish that something is true, you discover facts that show that it is definitely true. Medical tests established that she was not their own child It will be essential to establish how the money is being spent An autopsy was being done to establish the cause of death It was established that the missile had landed on a test range in Australia. = ascertain + established es·tab·lished That link is an established medical fact.
25. If you establish yourself, your reputation, or a good quality that you have, you succeed in doing something, and achieve respect or a secure position as a result of this. This is going to be the show where up-and-coming comedians will establish themselves He has established himself as a pivotal figure in US politics We shall fight to establish our innocence.