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Invent - Dictionary Definition and Overview |
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Invent : (verb)
1: come up with (an idea, plan, explanation, theory, or
priciple) after a mental effort; "excogitate a way to
measure the speed of light" [syn: contrive, devise,
excogitate, formulate, forge]
2: make up something artificial or untrue [syn: fabricate, manufacture,
cook up, make up]
Based on WordNet 2.0
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Invent : \In*vent"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Invented; p. pr. & vb.
n. Inventing.] [L. inventus, p. p. of invenire to come
upon, to find, invent; pref. in- in _ venire to come, akin to
E. come: cf. F. inventer. See Come.]
1. To come or light upon; to meet; to find. [Obs.]
And vowed never to return again, Till him alive or
dead she did invent. --Spenser.
2. To discover, as by study or inquiry; to find out; to
devise; to contrive or produce for the first time; --
applied commonly to the discovery of some serviceable
mode, instrument, or machine.
Thus first Necessity invented stools. --Cowper.
3. To frame by the imagination; to fabricate mentally; to
forge; -- in a good or a bad sense; as, to invent the
machinery of a poem; to invent a falsehood.
Whate'er his cruel malice could invent. --Milton.
He had invented some circumstances, and put the
worst possible construction on others. --Sir W.
Scott.
Syn: To discover; contrive; devise; frame; design; fabricate;
concoct; elaborate. See Discover.
Based on WordNet (r) 2.0 (August 2003)
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