sorting

[ sawr-ting ]

/ ˈsɔr tɪŋ /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR sorting ON THESAURUS.COM

noun Geology.

the process by which sedimentary particles become separated according to some particular characteristic, as size or shape.

Origin of sorting

sort + -ing¹

Words nearby sorting

sortal, sortation, sorted, sortie, sortilege, sorting, sorting tracks, sorting yard, sortition, sorus, sos

Definition for sorting (2 of 2)

sort

[ sawrt ]

/ sɔrt /

noun

a particular kind, species, variety, class, or group, distinguished by a common character or nature: to develop a new sort of painting; nice people, of course, but not really our sort.

character, quality, or nature: young people of a nice sort.

an example of something that is undistinguished or barely adequate: He is a sort of poet.

manner, fashion, or way: We spoke in this sort for several minutes.

Printing.

any of the individual characters making up a font of type.
characters of a particular font that are rarely used.

an instance of sorting.

verb (used with object)

to arrange according to sort, kind, or class; separate into sorts; classify: to sort socks; to sort eggs by grade.

to separate or take from other sorts or from others (often followed by out): to sort the good from the bad; to sort out the children's socks.

to assign to a particular class, group, or place (often followed by with, together, etc.): to sort people together indiscriminately.

Scot. to provide with food and shelter.

Computers. to place (records) in order, as numerical or alphabetical, based on the contents of one or more keys contained in each record. Compare key¹(def 19).

verb (used without object)

Archaic. to suit; agree; fit.

British Dialect. to associate, mingle, or be friendly.

Verb Phrases

sort out,

evolve; develop; turn out: We'll just have to wait and see how things sort out.
to put in order; clarify: After I sort things out here, I'll be able to concentrate on your problem.

Origin of sort

1200–50; (noun) Middle English < Middle French sorte < Medieval Latin sort- (stem of sors) kind, allotted status or portion, lot, Latin: orig., voter's lot; (v.) Middle English sorten to allot, arrange, assort (< Middle French sortir) < Latin sortīrī to draw lots, derivative of sors; later senses influenced by the noun and by assort

SYNONYMS FOR sort

1 class, family, order, rank, character, nature.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR sort ON THESAURUS.COM

usage note for sort

See kind².

OTHER WORDS FROM sort

sort·a·ble, adjective sort·a·bly, adverb sort·er, noun mis·sort, verb

sub·sort, noun sub·sort, verb sub·sort·er, noun un·der·sort, verb (used with object) un·sort, verb (used with object) un·sort·a·ble, adjective

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH sort

kind² sort type (see usage note at kind²) (see usage note at type)

Example sentences from the Web for sorting

The system faintly evokes the charm of the Hogwarts houses—without a Sorting Hat, that is.

Freshman Year Sucks—and That’s OK |Eleanor Hyun |November 12, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Mainly so the rest of the sorting and drying can begin when the downpours get too heavy to be out in the fields.

Will Coffee Rust Hurt Starbucks? |Nina Strochlic |June 8, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
He poured heaps of them onto a bed and set about sorting the jumble of tiny vehicles.

Sochi’s Internal Refugees |Anna Nemtsova |February 8, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Journalism has a slightly different set of rules for choosing topics and sorting evidence.

Caleb Crain: How I Write |Caleb Crain |July 31, 2013 |DAILY BEAST

She spent years sorting, transcribing, and inventorying the papers.

The House that Slavery Built |Jane Ciabattari |July 16, 2013 |DAILY BEAST
Papa's company is paid by all the others to do the floating down stream and the sorting out.

The Adventures of Bobby Orde |Stewart Edward White
And, in this sorting, the department manager's stenographer can render valuable assistance.

Cyclopedia of Commerce, Accountancy, Business Administration, v. 1 |Various
We have spoken of sorting the animal kingdom into its various kinds.

Stories of the Universe: Animal Life |B. Lindsay
Let them have the pleasure and benefit which come from sorting the ravelings.

Hand-Loom Weaving |Mattie Phipps Todd
When she entered the room again we were sorting out our letters and papers, and she said, "You surely must be sappers!"

From John O'Groats to Land's End |Robert Naylor and John Naylor

British Dictionary definitions for sorting

sort

/ (sɔːt) /

noun

a class, group, kind, etc, as distinguished by some common quality or characteristic

informal type of character, nature, etc he's a good sort

a more or less definable or adequate example it's a sort of review

(often plural) printing any of the individual characters making up a fount of type

archaic manner; way in this sort we struggled home

after a sort to some extent

of sorts or of a sort

of an inferior kind
of an indefinite kind

out of sorts not in normal good health, temper, etc

sort of informal

(adverb) in some way or other; as it were; rather
(sentence substitute) used to express reservation or qualified assentI’m only joking. Sort of

verb

(tr) to arrange according to class, type, etc

(tr) to put (something) into working order

(tr) to arrange (computer information) by machine in an order convenient to the computer user

(tr foll by with) informal to supply, esp with drugs

(intr; foll by with, together, etc) archaic, or dialect to associate, as on friendly terms

(intr) archaic to agree; accord

Derived forms of sort

sortable, adjective sortably, adverb sorter, noun

Word Origin for sort

C14: from Old French, from Medieval Latin sors kind, from Latin: fate

undefined sort

See kind 2

Scientific definitions for sorting

sorting

[ sôr′tĭng ]

The process by which sediment particles that have a certain characteristic, such as a given shape or grain size, are separated from other associated particles by an active agent of transportation, such as wind, a stream, or a glacier.

A measure of the degree to which this process has occurred within a body of sediment. Wind-blown sediments are usually well-sorted because only a small range of grain sizes can be lifted by a particular wind velocity. Glacially derived sediments are usually poorly sorted because of the great range of particle sizes that are picked up by a moving glacier.

Idioms and Phrases with sorting

sort

see after a fashion (sort); all kinds (sorts) of; bad sort; it takes all sorts; kind (sort) of; nothing of the kind (sort); of sorts; out of sorts.

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

sorting

noun Geology.

Origin of sorting

Words nearby sorting

Definition for sorting (2 of 2)

noun

verb (used with object)

verb (used without object)

Verb Phrases

Origin of sort

SYNONYMS FOR sort

usage note for sort

OTHER WORDS FROM sort

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH sort

Example sentences from the Web for sorting

British Dictionary definitions for sorting

noun

verb

Derived forms of sort

Word Origin for sort

undefined sort

Scientific definitions for sorting

Idioms and Phrases with sorting

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

sorting

noun Geology.

Origin of sorting

Words nearby sorting

Definition for sorting (2 of 2)

noun

verb (used with object)

verb (used without object)

Verb Phrases

Origin of sort

SYNONYMS FOR sort

usage note for sort

OTHER WORDS FROM sort

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH sort

Words related to sorting

Example sentences from the Web for sorting

British Dictionary definitions for sorting

noun

verb

Derived forms of sort

Word Origin for sort

undefined sort

Scientific definitions for sorting

Idioms and Phrases with sorting