different between straighten vs solve

English

Etymology

From straight +? -en. Compare Scots strauchten (“to straighten”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?st?e?tn?/
• Hyphenation: straight?en
• Rhymes: -e?t?n

Verb

straighten (third-person singular simple present straightens, present participle straightening, simple past and past participle straightened)

1. (transitive) To cause to become straight.
2. (intransitive) To become straight.
3. (transitive) To put in order; to sort; to tidy up.

   to straighten one's affairs, or an account
4. (transitive) To clarify a situation or concept to (an audience).
5. (transitive, slang) To bribe or corrupt.
6. (intransitive) To stand up, especially from a sitting position.

Derived terms

Translations

See also

• straiten

Anagrams

• astringeth, shattering

English

Etymology

From Latin solv?.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /s?lv/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /s?lv/, /s?lv/

Verb

solve (third-person singular simple present solves, present participle solving, simple past and past participle solved)

1. To find an answer or solution to a problem or question; to work out.

   • True piety would effectually solve such scruples.

   • 1649, Thomas Tickell, Thoughts occasioned by the sight of an original picture of King Charles I taken at the time of his trial

     God shall solve the dark decrees of fate.
2. (mathematics) To find the values of variables that satisfy a system of equations and/or inequalities.
3. (mathematics) To algebraically manipulate an equation or inequality into a form that isolates a chosen variable on one side, so that the other side consists of an expression that may be used to generate solutions.
4. (transitive) To loosen or separate the parts of.

Derived terms

• resolve
• solvable
• solution

Related terms

Translations

Noun

solve (plural solves)

1. (now rare, chiefly law enforcement) A solution; an explanation.
   • 2014 February 4, The Party, Gil Ozeri and Gabe Liedman (writers), Michael Engler (director), Brooklyn Nine-Nine, season 1, episode 16:

     KEVIN: I decided a long time ago that just because I love Raymond, doesn't mean I have to love the people he works with. Good solve, Detective.

   • 2017, Elodia Strain, The Dating Experiment (?ISBN):

     “Hey, Mr. Quilt Bandit.”
     Ian smiled. “Nice solve, Nancy Drew.”

Anagrams

• Loves, loves, slove, voles, voëls

Italian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?s?l.ve/
• Rhymes: -?lve

Verb

solve

1. third-person singular present indicative of solvere

Anagrams

• svelo, svelò, volse

Latin

Pronunciation

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /?sol.u?e/, [?s????u??]
• (Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /?sol.ve/, [?s?lv?]

Verb

solve

1. second-person singular present active imperative of solv?

References

• solve in Charles du Fresne du Cange’s Glossarium Mediæ et Infimæ Latinitatis (augmented edition, 1883–1887)