See Also: Sort(medicine)
sort-out(dictionary)
sort(dictionary)
sort(2)(dictionary)
sort(1)(dictionary)
re-sort(dictionary)
q-sort(medicine)
Sort (Pai Gow)(casino)
sort 1, noun(dictionary)
sort 2, verb(dictionary)

sort (iou)



sort verb. LME.
[Old French sortir or Latin sortiri divide or obtain by lot, from sort-, sors: see SORT noun2 Later from the noun or aphet. from ASSORT.]
I. verb trans. Allot, assign. Usu. foll. by to, for. LME-L16.
b. Dispose, ordain. rare. Only in L16.
verb intrans. Of an event etc.: come about; turn out well, badly, etc. Also foll. by out. L15-M17.
verb trans. & intrans. (with to). Arrive at or result in (an effect, end, etc.). M16-M17.
verb intrans. Foll. by to: end in a specified result; turn out according to one's wish, desire, etc. M16-M17.
b. Fall to a person as a right or duty. Only in 17.
verb trans. Correspond to; befit, suit. Now rare or obsolete. L16.
II.
verb trans. Arrange systematically or according to type, class, etc.; separate and put into different sorts. LME.
E. Bowen Helping her sort the apples and range them in..rows. G. Gorer They had been sorted into six groups (dependent on sex and marital status). Stamps Postal Corps personnel sorting mail.
verb trans. Place in a class or sort. Usu. foll. by together, with. arch. L15.
W. Burkitt It had been sufficient disparagement to our..Saviour to have been sorted with the best of men.
verb trans. Foll. by out:
a. Separate into sorts; remove (certain sorts) from others. M16.
sort out the men from the boys: see MAN noun.
J. N. Lockyer Not yet..time to sort out the real from the apparent nebulae. R. Lardner From the pile he sorted out three letters.
b. Choose or select by separating into sorts. Now rare or obsolete. M16.
c. Arrange according to sort. E18.
M. Cox He spent hours sorting out his books.
a. verb trans. Adapt, fit, make conformable. Foll. by to, with. Now rare or obsolete. M16.
b. verb intrans. Be suitable; accord or be in harmony (foll. by with, to, together); Scot. come to an agreement. arch. L16.
H. Allen A nostalgic aspect which sorted well with his own mood within.
verb trans. Choose, select, esp. as fitting or suitable. L16-M17.
verb trans. Provide or supply (a person or thing) with; spec. give (an animal) food and shelter. Long obsolete exc. Scot. L16.
verb intrans. & refl. Associate or consort with another or others. Usu. foll. by with. Now dial. L16.
verb trans. Arrange or put in order; put to rights. Also foll. by up. Scot. & north. E19.
verb trans.
a. Resolve (a problem or difficulty); solve the problems of (a person); deal with. Usu. foll. by out. E19.
B. Bainbridge He could just lie there for several days..trying to sort himself out. P. Fitzgerald Sorting out administrative and technical problems since five in the morning. R. Rendell Time had sorted things out for us. Rally Sport Mud..clogging the radiator..causing the engine to overheat, but this was sorted at Harrogate.
b. Reprimand (a person); put right or deal with by means of force, violence, etc. Usu. foll. by out. colloq. M20.
M. Gee I'll send the police round to sort you out.
Comb.: sort-out an act of sorting out or ordering something; colloq. a fight, a dispute.
sortable adjective (a) (obsolete exc. dial.) suitable, appropriate; accordant; (b) able to be sorted or arranged: L16.
sortance noun (rare, Shakes.) agreement, correspondence: only in L16.
sorter noun a person who or machine which sorts, arranges, or classifies things M16.
sorting verbal noun the action of the verb; an instance of this: LME.
sortment noun (a) the action of sorting or arranging things; (b) a collection of assorted things, an assortment: L16-M18.