sentence – English noun declension

English noun forms of sentence

Noun: sentence
Singularsentence
Pluralsentences

Sample Sentences

  • The court returned a sentence of guilt in the first charge, but innocence in the second.
  • A branch that has played a significant part in the history of its territory is under sentence at the end of the summer timetables, so far as its passenger services are concerned. [1959 October, Colin G. Maggs, “The Bristol-Frome branch of the W.R.”, in Trains Illustrated, page 473:]
  • The judge declared a sentence of death by hanging for the infamous child rapist.
  • The murderer, he recalled, had been tried and sentenced to imprisonment for life, but was pardoned by a merciful governor after serving a year of his sentence. [1900, Charles W[addell] Chesnutt, chapter I, in The House Behind the Cedars, Boston, Mass.; New York, N.Y.: Houghton, Mifflin and Company […], →OCLC:]
  • Men (saith an ancient Greek sentence) are tormented by the opinions they have of things, and not by things themselves. [1603, Michel de Montaigne, chapter 40, in John Florio, transl., The Essayes […], book I, London: […] Val[entine] Simmes for Edward Blount […], →OCLC:]
  • I am told that she writes well, and that all her letters are full of sentences. [1748, [Samuel Richardson], “Letter LII”, in Clarissa. Or, The History of a Young Lady: […], volume IV, London: […] S[amuel] Richardson; [a]nd sold by John Osborn, […], →OCLC:]
  • Near-synonym: clause
  • The children were made to construct sentences consisting of nouns and verbs from the list on the chalkboard.
  • Noght o word spak he moore than was neede, / And that was seyd in forme and reverence / And short and quyk and ful of hy sentence […] [[1387–1400, Geoffrey Chaucer, “The Prologues”, in The Canterbury Tales (in Middle English), [Westminster: William Caxton, published 1478], →OCLC; republished in [William Thynne], editor, The Workes of Geffray Chaucer Newlye Printed, […], [London]: […] [Richard Grafton for] Iohn Reynes […], 1542, →OCLC:]
  • now to the discourse itself, voluble enough, and full of sentence, but that, for the most part, either specious rather than solid, or to his cause nothing pertinent. [1649, J[ohn] Milton, ΕΙΚΟΝΟΚΛΆΣΤΗΣ [Eikonoklástēs] […], London: […] Matthew Simmons, […], →OCLC:]
  • Full of high sentence, but a bit obtuse; […] [1915 June, T[homas] S[tearns] Eliot, “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock”, in Prufrock and Other Observations, London: The Egoist […], published 1917, →OCLC, page 15:]
  • My sentence is for open war. [1667, John Milton, “Book II”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:]
  • The book of ſentences, which rendered the name of Peter Lombard ſo illuſtrious, was a compilation of ſentences, and paſſages, drawn from the fathers, whoſe manifold contradictions, this eminent prelate endeavoured to reconcile. [1764, Johann Lorenz von Mosheim, translated by Archibald Maclaine, An Ecclesiastical History, Antient and Modern, from the Birth of Christ to the Beginning of the Present Century, page 598:]
  • [I]f it may bee lawfull to iudge or giue any ſentence thereof, it [the author of the book of Ruth] was either Samuell, or ſome other godly Prophet vnder the raigne of Saule, [...] [1596, Edward Topsell, The Reward of Religion: Deliuered in Sundry Lectures Vpon the Booke of Ruth : Wherein the Godly May See Their Dayly Both Inward and Outward Trials : with the Presence of God to Assist Them, and His Mercies to Recompence Them …, London: John Windet, published 1601, page 1:]
  • By them [Martin Luther's works] we might pass sentence upon his doctrines. [1687, Francis Atterbury, An Answer to Some Considerations on the Spirit of Martin Luther and the Original of the Reformation; […], Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] [Sheldonian] Theater, →OCLC:]

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle French sentence, from Latin sententia (“way of thinking, opinion, sentiment”), from sentiēns, present participle of sentiō (“to feel, think”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *sent- (“to feel”). See: Latin Nouns 'sententia'.