Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Determine \De*ter"mine\, v. i.
   1. To come to an end; to end; to terminate. [Obs.]

            He who has vented a pernicious doctrine or published
            an ill book must know that his life determine not
            together.                             --South.

            Estates may determine on future contingencies.
                                                  --Blackstone.

   2. To come to a decision; to decide; to resolve; -- often
      with on. ``Determine on some course.'' --Shak.

            He shall pay as the judges determine. --Ex. xxi. 22.

Determine \De*ter"mine\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Determined}; p.
   pr. & vb. n. {Determining}.] [F. d['e]terminer, L.
   determinare, determinatum; de + terminare limit, terminus
   limit. See {Term}.]
   1. To fix the boundaries of; to mark off and separate.

            [God] hath determined the times before appointed.
                                                  --Acts xvii.
                                                  26.

   2. To set bounds to; to fix the determination of; to limit;
      to bound; to bring to an end; to finish.

            The knowledge of men hitherto hath been determined
            by the view or sight.                 --Bacon.

            Now, where is he that will not stay so long Till his
            friend sickness hath determined me?   --Shak.

   3. To fix the form or character of; to shape; to prescribe
      imperatively; to regulate; to settle.

            The character of the soul is determined by the
            character of its God.                 --J. Edwards.

            Something divinely beautiful . . . that at some time
            or other might influence or even determine her
            course of life.                       --W. Black.

   4. To fix the course of; to impel and direct; -- with a
      remoter object preceded by to; as, another's will
      determined me to this course.

   5. To ascertain definitely; to find out the specific
      character or name of; to assign to its true place in a
      system; as, to determine an unknown or a newly discovered
      plant or its name.

   6. To bring to a conclusion, as a question or controversy; to
      settle authoritative or judicial sentence; to decide; as,
      the court has determined the cause.

   7. To resolve on; to have a fixed intention of; also, to
      cause to come to a conclusion or decision; to lead; as,
      this determined him to go immediately.

   8. (Logic) To define or limit by adding a differentia.

   9. (Physical Sciences) To ascertain the presence, quantity,
      or amount of; as, to determine the parallax; to determine
      the salt in sea water.

Source : WordNet®

determine
     v 1: after a calculation, investigation, experiment, survey, or
          study; "find the product of two numbers"; "The physicist
          who found the elusive particle won the Nobel Prize"
          [syn: {find}, {find out}, {ascertain}]
     2: shape or influence; give direction to; "experience often
        determines ability"; "mold public opinion" [syn: {shape},
        {mold}, {influence}, {regulate}]
     3: fix conclusively or authoritatively; "set the rules" [syn: {set}]
     4: decide upon or fix definitely; "fix the variables"; "specify
        the parameters" [syn: {specify}, {set}, {fix}, {limit}]
     5: reach, make, or come to a decision about something; "We
        finally decided after lengthy deliberations" [syn: {decide},
         {make up one's mind}]
     6: fix in scope; fix the boundaries of; the tree determines the
        border of the property
     7: settle conclusively; come to terms; "We finally settled the
        argument" [syn: {settle}, {square off}, {square up}]
     8: find out, learn, or determine with certainty, usually by
        making an inquiry or other effort; "I want to see whether
        she speaks French"; "See whether it works"; "find out if
        he speaks Russian"; "Check whether the train leaves on
        time" [syn: {check}, {find out}, {see}, {ascertain}, {watch},
         {learn}]