Word Direct Answers

What does "ascribe" mean?

Ascribe: To attribute, as a quality, or an appurtenance; to consider or allege to belong. Attribute denotes, 1. To refer some quality or attribute to a being; as, to attribute power to God.

Additional senses

  1. 2.To refer something to its cause or source; as, to attribute a backward spring to icebergs off the coast. Ascribe is used equally in both these senses, but involves a different image. To impute usually denotes to ascribe something doubtful or wrong, and hence, in general literature, has commonly a bad sense; as, to impute unworthy motives. The theological sense of impute is not here taken into view. More than good-will to me attribute naught. Spenser. Ascribes his gettings to his parts and merit. Pope. And fairly quit him of the imputed blame. Spenser.

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