Library / English Dictionary

CIVILISE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Raise from a barbaric to a civilized state

Example:

The wild child found wandering in the forest was gradually civilized

Synonyms:

civilise; civilize

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "civilise" is one way to...):

alter; change; modify (cause to change; make different; cause a transformation)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody

Derivation:

civilisation (the social process whereby societies achieve an advanced stage of development and organization)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Teach or refine to be discriminative in taste or judgment

Example:

She is well schooled in poetry

Synonyms:

civilise; civilize; cultivate; educate; school; train

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Hypernyms (to "civilise" is one way to...):

down; fine-tune; polish; refine (improve or perfect by pruning or polishing)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "civilise"):

sophisticate (make less natural or innocent)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Derivation:

civilisation (the quality of excellence in thought and manners and taste)

Credits