Both Uses of
resolve
in
The Witch of Blackbird Pond
- All her fine resolves about trying to understand and to be patient, and already she could feel the defiance rising again.
p. 100.1 *resolves = decisions
- Lying tense beside Judith, she made a resolve.
p. 236.7resolve = decision
Definitions:
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(1)
(resolve as in: I resolved to stop drinking.) to decide -- typically a firm or formal decisionIn modern writing resolve is typically used to emphasize a firm or formal decision. In classic literature, it is used more frequently and often simply replaces decide or determine.
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(2)
(resolve as in: This committee hereby resolves...) make a decision or voice an opinion by formal group vote
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(3)
(resolve as in: Her resolve weakened.) firmness of purpose (strong determination to do something)
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(4)
(resolve as in: How was the problem resolved?) to solve a problem, settle a disagreement, or for a situation to change
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(5)
(meaning too rare to warrant focus) Less commonly, resolve can mean:
- to make clearly visible -- as in "The microscope cannot resolve that level of detail."
- to divide into parts -- as in "The problem resolves into three parts,"or (math) "Resolve the polynomial into factors," or (chemistry) "As the temperature changes, the compound resolves into its component parts," or (physics) "The force on the inclined plane resolves into horizontal and vertical components."
- reduce or convert into something else -- as in "The URL is resolved to an IP address," or (music) "The progression is resolved as the dissonance is replaced by consonance."