solve

English

Etymology

From Middle English solven, from Latin solvō.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /sɒlv/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /sɑlv/, /sɔlv/

• Audio (Southern England)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɒlv, -ɑlv, -ɔlv

Verb

solve (third-person singular simple present solves, present participle solving, simple past and past participle solved)

1. To find an answer or solution to a problem or question; to work out.
   • 1692–1717, Robert South, Twelve Sermons Preached upon Several Occasions, 6th edition, volumes (please specify |volume=I to VI), London: J Bettenham, for Jonah Bowyer, , published 1727, →OCLC:

     True piety would effectually solve such scruples.

   • 1649, Thomas Tickell, Thoughts occasioned by the sight of an original picture of King Charles I taken at the time of his trial:

     God shall solve the dark decrees of fate.

   • 2013 June 1, “Ideas coming down the track”, in The Economist, volume 407, number 8838, page 13 (Technology Quarterly):

     A “moving platform” scheme […] is more technologically ambitious than maglev trains even though it relies on conventional rails. Local trains would use side-by-side rails to roll alongside intercity trains and allow passengers to switch trains by stepping through docking bays. This set-up solves several problems […].

2. to find out the perpetrator, the motive etc (of crime)

   to solve a murder   to solve a crime

3. (mathematics) To find the values of variables that satisfy a system of equations and/or inequalities.
4. (mathematics) To algebraically manipulate an equation or inequality into a form that isolates a chosen variable on one side, so that the other side consists of an expression that may be used to generate solutions.
5. (transitive) To loosen or separate the parts of.
   1. (chemistry, archaic) To dissolve

Derived terms

Related terms

Translations

Noun

solve (plural solves)

1. (now rare, chiefly law enforcement) A solution; an explanation.
   • 1609, William Shakespeare, “Sonnet 69”, in Shake-speares Sonnets. , London: By G[eorge] Eld for T[homas] T[horpe] and are to be sold by William Aspley, →OCLC:

     The solve is this, that thou dost common grow.

   • 2014 February 4, The Party, Gil Ozeri and Gabe Liedman (writers), Michael Engler (director), Brooklyn Nine-Nine, season 1, episode 16:

     KEVIN: I decided a long time ago that just because I love Raymond, doesn't mean I have to love the people he works with. Good solve, Detective.

   • 2017, Elodia Strain, The Dating Experiment, →ISBN:

     “Hey, Mr. Quilt Bandit.”
     Ian smiled. “Nice solve, Nancy Drew.”

Anagrams

• Loves, loves, slove, voles, voëls

Italian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈsɔl.ve/
• Rhymes: -ɔlve
• Hyphenation: sòl‧ve

Verb

solve

1. third-person singular present indicative of solvere

Anagrams

• svelo, svelò, volse

Latin

Pronunciation

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /ˈsol.u̯e/,
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ˈsol.ve/,

Verb

solve

1. second-person singular present active imperative of solvō

References

• solve in Charles du Fresne du Cange’s Glossarium Mediæ et Infimæ Latinitatis (augmented edition with additions by D. P. Carpenterius, Adelungius and others, edited by Léopold Favre, 1883–1887)

Middle English

Verb

solve

1. Alternative form of solven