Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- transitive verb To think of or represent (an inanimate object or abstraction) as having personality or the qualities, thoughts, or movements of a living being.
- transitive verb To represent (an object or abstraction) by a human figure.
- transitive verb To represent (an abstract quality or idea).
- transitive verb To be the embodiment or perfect example of.
from The Century Dictionary.
- To treat or regard as a person; represent as a rational being; treat, for literary purposes, as if endowed with the sentiments, actions, or language of a rational being or person, or, for artistic purposes, as if having a human form and nature.
- To impersonate; be an impersonation or embodiment of: as, he personifies all that is mean.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- transitive verb To regard, treat, or represent as a person; to represent as a rational being.
- transitive verb To be the embodiment or personification of; to impersonate.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- verb transitive To be an
example of; to have all theattributes of. - verb transitive To create a
representation of anabstract quality in the form of aliterary character .
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- verb invest with or as with a body; give body to
- verb represent, as of a character on stage
- verb attribute human qualities to something
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
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Examples
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Mr. Polshek said he had been preparing for his transition out of the firm for years and had seen firsthand the downside of having one name personify a practice.
NYT > Home Page By ROBIN POGREBIN 2010
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These players personify strength, resilience, and a certain kind of footballing integrity in sufficient quantity to overcome individual defects, such as Robson's drinking or Cantona's quixotic nature.
Arsène Wenger's real blind spot is the Arsenal captaincy | Richard Williams 2011
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Palin, who helped put the Tea Party on the map, and her protegee O'Donnell, best personify the new breed of Republican: charming, attractive, angry non-intellects who mock education, science and logic, while claiming "I am you" in an effort to identify with average voters.
Andy Ostroy: The Midterms: It's the Stupidity , Stupid Andy Ostroy 2010
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Palin, who helped put the Tea Party on the map, and her protegee O'Donnell, best personify the new breed of Republican: charming, attractive, angry non-intellects who mock education, science and logic, while claiming "I am you" in an effort to identify with average voters.
Andy Ostroy: The Midterms: It's the Stupidity , Stupid Andy Ostroy 2010
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Palin, who helped put the Tea Party on the map, and her protegee O'Donnell, best personify the new breed of Republican: charming, attractive, angry non-intellects who mock education, science and logic, while claiming "I am you" in an effort to identify with average voters.
Andy Ostroy: The Midterms: It's the Stupidity , Stupid Andy Ostroy 2010
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If you personify the fruit of the Spirit—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness, goodness, and self-control—everything you do will have a positive impact for God as well as for everyone in your life.
Recovering From Religious Abuse Jack Watts 2011
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Steve: it is quote common to personify firms this way in the English language to refer to the owners and/or managers of thefirm.
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Palin, who helped put the Tea Party on the map, and her protegee O'Donnell, best personify the new breed of Republican: charming, attractive, angry non-intellects who mock education, science and logic, while claiming "I am you" in an effort to identify with average voters.
Andy Ostroy: The Midterms: It's the Stupidity , Stupid Andy Ostroy 2010
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Steve says: it is quote common to personify firms this way in the English language to refer to the owners and/or managers of thefirm.
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Palin, who helped put the Tea Party on the map, and her protegee O'Donnell, best personify the new breed of Republican: charming, attractive, angry non-intellects who mock education, science and logic, while claiming "I am you" in an effort to identify with average voters.
Andy Ostroy: The Midterms: It's the Stupidity , Stupid Andy Ostroy 2010
gangerh commented on the word personify
The very word that neutered himify and herify.
February 16, 2008