Both Uses of
resolution
in
A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens
- He resolved to lie awake until the hour was passed; and, considering that he could no more go to sleep than go to Heaven, this was perhaps the wisest resolution in his power.
p. 31.1resolution = decision
- It gave him little surprise, however; for he had been revolving in his mind a change of life, and thought and hoped he saw his new-born resolutions carried out in this.
p. 98.3 *resolutions = decisions
Definitions:
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(1)
(resolution as in: a New Year's resolution) a firm decision to do something
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(2)
(resolution as in: a United Nations resolution) a formal statement of decision or opinion voted on by a groupWhile a resolution typically expresses an opinion and has no legal force, when used in early U.S. history or in the expressions joint resolution of Congress or continuing resolution, it becomes a synonym for legislation (meaning that it carries the force of law).
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(3)
(resolution as in: Her resolution weakened.) determination (firmness of purpose)
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(4)
(resolution as in: resolution of the dispute) a solution or outcome
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(5)
(meaning too rare to warrant focus) Much less commonly, other meanings of resolution include:
- a measure of optic detail -- as in: "The photograph has excellent resolution."
- separation into different parts -- as in: "When force is applied to an inclined plane there is resolution of the force into horizontal and vertical components."
- conversion to something else -- as in: "... resolution of the chord from dissonance (an unstable sound) to consonance (a more stable sound)."
- reduction to or conversion to something else -- as in: "It permits resolution of a URL to an IP address."