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Definition of name verb from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

name

verb
 
 
/neɪm/
 
/neɪm/
Verb Forms
present simple I / you / we / they name
 
/neɪm/
 
/neɪm/
he / she / it names
 
/neɪmz/
 
/neɪmz/
past simple named
 
/neɪmd/
 
/neɪmd/
past participle named
 
/neɪmd/
 
/neɪmd/
-ing form naming
 
/ˈneɪmɪŋ/
 
/ˈneɪmɪŋ/
Idioms
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  1.  
     [often passive] to give a name to somebody/something synonym call
    • name somebody/something (after somebody) He was named after his father (= given his father's first name).
    • name somebody/something (for somebody) The planet Mars is named for the Roman god of war.
    • name somebody/something + noun They named their son John.
    • adv. + named He plays the evil scientist, the aptly named Dr Weird.
    • Rust fungus is so named because of its rusty-coloured spots.
    Extra Examples
    • I named my son after my father.
    • the diesel engine, named after its inventor Rudolf Diesel
    • The hospital was named in honour of its principal benefactor.
    • The present Kew Bridge was opened by King Edward VII and is correctly named ‘King Edward Bridge’.
    • The ship will be officially named by the King before setting sail from her home port.
    • the aptly named Dare Devil
    • the dead sister for whom she had been named
    • the curiously named Egg Castle
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb
    • originally
    • appropriately
    • aptly
    • …
    preposition
    • after
    • for
    • in honour/​honor of
    • …
    See full entry
  2.  
     to say the name of somebody/something synonym identify
    • name somebody/something The victim has not yet been named.
    • He refused to name his accomplice.
    • Can you name all the American states?
    • The manager has named his side for the semi-final.
    • He correctly named the song from the clip played.
    • name somebody/something as somebody/something The missing man has been named as James Kelly.
    Synonyms identifyidentifyknow ▪ recognize ▪ name ▪ make somebody/​something outThese words all mean to be able to see or hear somebody/​something and especially to be able to say who or what they are.identify to be able to say who or what somebody/​something is:
    • She was able to identify her attacker.
    know to be able to say who or what something is when you see or hear it because you have seen or heard it before Know is used especially to talk about sounds that seem familiar and when somebody recognizes the quality or opportunity that somebody/​something represents: I couldn’t see who was speaking, but I knew the voice. • She knows a bargain when she sees one. recognize to know who somebody is or what something is when you see or hear them/​it, because you have seen or heard them/​it before:
    • I recognized him as soon as he came in the room.
    name to say the name of somebody/​something in order to show that you know who/​what they are:
    • The victim has not yet been named.
    make somebody/​something out to manage to see or hear somebody/​something that is not very clear:
    • I could just make out a figure in the darkness.
    Patterns
    • to identify/​know/​recognize somebody/​something by something
    • to identify/​recognize/​name somebody/​something as somebody/​something
    • to identify/​know/​recognize/​make out who/​what/​how…
    • to easily/​barely/​just identify/​recognize/​make out somebody/​something
  3. name something to state something exactly synonym specify
    • Name your price.
    • They're engaged, but they haven't yet named the day (= chosen the date for their wedding).
    • Activities available include squash, archery and swimming, to name but a few.
    • Chairs, tables, cabinets—you name it, she makes it (= she makes anything you can imagine).
  4. to choose somebody for a job or position synonym nominate
    • name somebody as something I had no hesitation in naming him (as) captain.
    • name somebody (to something) When she resigned, he was named to the committee in her place.
    • name somebody to do something Mrs Shah has been named to run the new research unit.
    Extra Examples
    • the newly named head coach
    • The President officially named Kirk as her choice to replace Timms.
    • She was recently named to the company's board of directors.
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb
    • formally
    • officially
    preposition
    • to
    phrases
    • newly named
    See full entry
    5. Word OriginOld English nama, noma (noun), (ge)namian (verb), of Germanic origin; related to Dutch naam and German Name, from a root shared by Latin nomen and Greek onoma.
Idioms
name and shame
  1. (British English) to publish the names of people or organizations who have done something wrong or illegal
    • Businesses which fail in their duty to protect the environment should be named and shamed.
    More Like This Rhyming pairs in idiomsRhyming pairs in idioms
name names
  1. to give the names of the people involved in something, especially something wrong or illegal
    • He has accused the government of corruption and claims he is prepared to name names.
    • Detectives believe that a hitman was sent to silence the witness before he could name names.
See name in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee name in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English
Check pronunciation: name

Nearby words

origin
noun
 
 
From the Word list
OPAL spoken words
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