describe

When you give detailed information to another person, you "describe" something. This verb is similar to "tell."

• Samantha described her trip to Paris. (She told us about her trip to Paris.)
• Can you describe what your house looks like?
• It’s hard to describe what coffee tastes like to someone who has never had it before.
• An adjective describes a noun.
• An adverb describes a verb, an adjective, or another adverb.
• Words can’t describe how beautiful the lake looks today.
• She described what her attacker looked like to a police officer who drew the man’s face.

When the word "describe" is in the form of a noun, the word becomes description:

• She provided a description of her assailant to a police officer.
• This book has a good description of what Quebec looks like during the summer.
• Give the salesperson a description of what you are looking for and he’ll help you find it.

Click here to go to the Word of the Day page.

Published on March 31, 2012.