1 a: a formal utterance of an authoritative opinion b: an opinion so pronounced 2 a: a formal decision given by a court b (1): an obligation (as a debt) created by the decree of a court (2): a certificate evidencing such a decree 3 a cap: the final judging of mankind by God b: a divine sentence or decision; specif: a calamity held to be sent by God 4 a: the process of forming an opinion or evaluation by discerning and comparing b: an opinion or estimate so formed 5 a: the capacity for judging: discernment b: the exercise of this capacity 6: a proposition stating something believed or asserted syn see sense |