style
Pronunciation Noun

style

  1. Senses relating to a thin, pointed object.
    1. (historical) A sharp#Adjective|sharp stick#Noun|stick used for writing on clay tablets or other surface#Noun|surfaces; a stylus; (by extension, obsolete) an instrument used to write with ink#Noun|ink; a pen#Noun|pen.
      • 1700, [John] Dryden, “Palamon and Arcite: Or, The Knight’s Tale. In Three Books.”, in Fables Ancient and Modern; […], London: Printed for Jacob Tonson, […], OCLC 228732415 ↗, book II, page 26 ↗:
        Thus while his Thoughts the lingring Day beguile, / To gentle Arcite let us turn our Style; [...]
    2. A tool#Noun|tool with a sharp point#Noun|point used in engraving#Noun|engraving; a burin, a graver#Noun|graver, a stylet, a stylus.
    3. The gnomon or pin#Noun|pin of a sundial, the shadow#Noun|shadow of which indicates the hour.
    4. (botany) The stalk#Noun|stalk that connects the stigma(s) to the ovary in a pistil of a flower#Noun|flower.
      Synonyms: stylet
    5. (surgery) A kind of surgical instrument with a blunt#Adjective|blunt point, used for exploration.
      Synonyms: stylet
    6. (zoology) A small, thin#Adjective|thin, pointed#Adjective|pointed body part.
      Synonyms: stylet
      1. (entomology) A long#Adjective|long, slender, bristle#Noun|bristle-like process#Noun|process near the anal region.
        the anal styles of insects
  2. (by extension from sense 1.1) A particular manner of expression in writing or speech, especially one regarded as good#Adjective|good.
    • 1678, John Bunyan, “The Author’s Apology for His Book ↗”, in The Pilgrim’s Progress from This World, to That which is to Come: […], London: Printed for Nath[aniel] Ponder […], OCLC 228725984 ↗; reprinted in The Pilgrim’s Progress (The Noel Douglas Replicas), London: Noel Douglas, […], 1928, OCLC 5190338 ↗:
      May I not write in such a ſtile as this? / In ſuch a method too, and yet not miſs / Mine end, thy good? why may it not be done?
    1. A legal or traditional term#Noun|term or formula of word#Noun|words used to address#Verb|address or refer to a person, especially a monarch or a person hold#Verb|holding a post#Noun|post or having a title#Noun|title.
      Monarchs are often addressed with the style of Majesty.
  3. A particular manner of creating, do#Verb|doing, or present#Verb|presenting something, especially a work of architecture or art.
    1. A particular manner of act#Verb|acting or behaving; (specifically) one regarded as fashionable or skilful; flair#Noun|flair, grace.
      As a dancer, he has a lot of style.
      Backstabbing people is not my style.
    2. A particular way in which one groom#Verb|grooms, adorns, dress#Verb|dresses, or carry#Verb|carries oneself; (specifically) a way thought to be attractive or fashionable.
    3. (computing) A visual or other modification to text#Noun|text or other elements of a document, such as boldface or italics.
      applying styles to text in a wordprocessor  Cascading Style Sheets
    4. (printing, publishing) A set#Noun|set of rule#Noun|rules regarding the presentation of text#Noun|text (spelling#Noun|spelling, typography, the citation of reference#Noun|references, etc.) and illustrations that is applied by a publisher to the work#Noun|works it produce#Verb|produces.
      the house style of the journal
Related terms Translations Translations Translations
  • Portuguese: estilo
  • Russian: стиль
Translations Translations Translations Translations Translations Verb

style (styles, present participle styling; past and past participle styled)

  1. (transitive) To design, fashion, make, or arrange in a certain way or form (style)
  2. (transitive, formal) To call#Verb|call or give#Verb|give a name#Noun|name or title#Noun|title to.
    Synonyms: designate, dub, name, Thesaurus:denominate
    • 1623, Iohn Speed [i.e., John Speed], “Elizabeth Qveene of England, France, and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, &c. the Sixtie One Monarch of the English Crowne, […]”, in The Historie of Great Britaine vnder the Conqvests of the Romans, Saxons, Danes and Normans. […], 2nd revised and enlarged edition, London: Printed by Iohn Beale, for George Hvmble, […], OCLC 150671135 ↗, book 9, paragraph 37, page 1161 ↗, column 2:
      [...] Douenald O-Neale, rowſed out of his lurking holes, in his miſſiue letters vnto the Pope, ſtyleth himſelfe King of Vlſter, and in right of inheritance, the vndoubted Heire of all Ireland.
    • 1749, Henry Fielding, “Jones Arrives at Gloucester, and Goes to the Bell; the Character of that House, and of a Petty-fogger, which He there Meets with”, in The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling. In Six Volumes, volume III, London: Printed by A[ndrew] Millar, […], OCLC 928184292 ↗, book VIII, page 200 ↗:
      This Fellow, I ſay, ſtiled himſelf a Lawyer, but was indeed a moſt vile Petty-fogger, without Senſe or Knowledge of any Kind; one of thoſe who may be termed Train-bearers to the Law; [...]
    • 1811, [Jane Austen], chapter X, in Sense and Sensibility: A Novel. In Three Volumes, volume I, London: Printed for the author, by C[harles] Roworth, […], and published by T[homas] Egerton, […], OCLC 20599507 ↗, page 106 ↗:
      Marianne's preserver, as Margaret, with more elegance than precision, stiled Willoughby, called at the cottage early the next morning to make his personal inquiries.
  3. (transitive, informal) To create for, or give#Verb|give to, someone a style, fashion#Noun|fashion, or image#Noun|image, particularly one which is regarded as attractive, tasteful, or trendy.
  4. (intransitive, US, informal) To act#Verb|act in a way which seeks to show#Verb|show that one possesses style.
Conjugation