What's the difference between define and describe?

Define


Definition:

  • (v. t.) To fix the bounds of; to bring to a termination; to end.
  • (v. t.) To determine or clearly exhibit the boundaries of; to mark the limits of; as, to define the extent of a kingdom or country.
  • (v. t.) To determine with precision; to mark out with distinctness; to ascertain or exhibit clearly; as, the defining power of an optical instrument.
  • (v. t.) To determine the precise signification of; to fix the meaning of; to describe accurately; to explain; to expound or interpret; as, to define a word, a phrase, or a scientific term.
  • (v. i.) To determine; to decide.

Example Sentences:

  • (1) Brain and ganglia of embryonic Periplaneta americana were grown for 2 to 3 weeks in a chemically defined medium.
  • (2) In this article we report the survival and morbidity rates for all live-born infants weighing 501 to 1000 gram at birth and born to residents of a defined geographic region from 1977 to 1980 (n = 255) compared with 1981 to 1984 (n = 266).
  • (3) The lesion (10.6 X 9.8 mm) was a well-defined ellipsoid granuloma due to a foreign body with a central zone of necrosis surrounded entirely by a fibrous wall.
  • (4) Enhanced sensitivity to ITDs should translate to better-defined azimuthal receptive fields, and therefore may be a step toward achieving an optimal representation of azimuth within the auditory pathway.
  • (5) Anaerobes, in particular Bacteroides spp., are the predominant bacteria present in mixed intra-abdominal infections, yet their critical importance in the pathogenicity of these infections is not clearly defined.
  • (6) High-grade and low-grade candidemia were defined as 25 colony-forming units or more per 10 ml and 10 colony-forming units or fewer per 10 ml of blood, respectively.
  • (7) We reviewed our experience with femorofemoral bypass during the past 10 years to define its role relative to other methods in the treatment of aortoiliac occlusive disease.
  • (8) Periodontal disease activity is defined clinically by progressive loss of probing attachment and radiographically by progressive loss of alveolar bone.
  • (9) There is some correlation between PI values and clinical symptoms, but it is not as well defined as that between SI values and clinical symptoms.
  • (10) Our prospective study has defined a number of important variables in patients with clinical evidence of mast cell proliferation that can predict both the presence of SMCD and the likelihood of fatal disease.
  • (11) Flow cytofluorometric analysis of the strain distribution of the molecules defined by the mAb revealed that two of the antibodies (I-22 and III-5) were directed against nonpolymorphic determinants of Thy-1, whereas V-8 mAb reacted only with Thy-1.2+ lymphocytes.
  • (12) We conclude that neuronal activities in the region of the retrofacial nucleus are important both in the integration of stimuli from the central chemoreceptors and in defining the discharge patterns of respiratory neurons.
  • (13) The study of cellular cyclic AMP level in response to extracellular adenosine stimulation in dividing cells and quiescent cells showed that cells in defined medium had a lower extent of response to adenosine compared to cells cultured in serum-containing medium.
  • (14) The authors describe the special medical expertise of the psychiatrist and define 11 indicators, such as a patient's need for new psychotropic medication or the presence of symptoms requiring medical or laboratory procedures, that can be used to determine whether psychiatric expertise is needed.
  • (15) The polymerization of dATP, dCTP, and dGTP onto the defined length initiator, d(pA)10, has been carried out in four buffers.
  • (16) Three subcohorts were defined: 3212 men whose only exposure to asbestos was to amosite; 3430 exposed to crocidolite; and 675 to both amphiboles.
  • (17) The literature is reviewed to define the role of the different treatment modalities.
  • (18) The amount of intracellular, iodophilic, glycogen-like polysaccharide (IPS) present in cells of two strains of Streptococcus mutans at various stages of growth in a chemically defined medium was determined by quantitative electron microscopy.
  • (19) The Department for International Development (DfID) defines funding provided under the VUP as "financial aid to government".
  • (20) Patients were divided into two groups: poor outcome, defined by the death or a post-operative Karnofsky index less than or equal to 70 (n = 36), and good outcome defined by a Karnofsky index of 80 or more (n = 60).

Describe


Definition:

  • (v. t.) To represent by drawing; to draw a plan of; to delineate; to trace or mark out; as, to describe a circle by the compasses; a torch waved about the head in such a way as to describe a circle.
  • (v. t.) To represent by words written or spoken; to give an account of; to make known to others by words or signs; as, the geographer describes countries and cities.
  • (v. t.) To distribute into parts, groups, or classes; to mark off; to class.
  • (v. i.) To use the faculty of describing; to give a description; as, Milton describes with uncommon force and beauty.

Example Sentences:

  • (1) Indicators for evaluation and monitoring and outcome measures are described within the context of health service management to describe control measure output in terms of community effectiveness.
  • (2) All transplants were performed using standard techniques, the operation for the two groups differing only as described above.
  • (3) In January 2011, the Nobel peace prize laureate was admitted to a Johannesburg hospital for what officials initially described as tests but what turned out to be an acute respiratory infection .
  • (4) The taxonomic relationship of strains H4-14 and 25a with previously described Xanthobacter strains was studied by numerical classification.
  • (5) Models able to describe the events of cellular growth and division and the dynamics of cell populations are useful for the understanding of functional control mechanisms and for the theoretical support for automated analysis of flow cytometric data and of cell volume distributions.
  • (6) The testing of other models and their failure to describe the kinetic observations are discussed.
  • (7) A group I subset (six animals), for which predominant cultivable microbiota was described, had a mean GI of 2.4.
  • (8) On the basis of 180 interventions, they describe in detail the use of fibrin glue in myringo- and tympanoplasty for correct fixing of grafts.
  • (9) Local embolism, vertebral distal-stump embolism, the dynamics of hemorrhagic infarction and embolus-in-transit are briefly described.
  • (10) This article describes a number of syndromes affecting the nail unit.
  • (11) King also described how representatives of every country at this month's G7 meeting in Canada seemed to be relying on an export-led recovery to revive their economies.
  • (12) Some commentators have described his ship, now facing more delays after a decade in development, as little more than a Heath Robinson machine.
  • (13) The small units described here could be inhibitory interneurons which convert the excitatory response of large units into inhibition.
  • (14) A disease in an IgD (lambda) plasmocytoma is described, where after therapy with Alkeran and prednisone a disappearance of all clinical and laboratory findings indicating an activity could be observed.
  • (15) These authors, therefore, conclude that this modified surgical approach is a viable alternative to the previously described procedures for resistant metatarsus adductus.
  • (16) It was the purpose of the present study to describe the normal pattern of the growth sites of the nasal septum according to age and sex by histological and microradiographical examination of human autopsy material.
  • (17) Each profile is described by a simple sequence of band transitions (BT-sequence).
  • (18) After a discussion of the therapeutic relationship, several coping strategies which have been used successfully by many women are described and therapeutic applications are offered.
  • (19) The article describes an unusual case with development of a right anterior mediastinal mass after bypass surgery with internal mammary artery grafts.
  • (20) One rare case of blind-ending branch originating in the upper third of the ureter are described.