From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Determine \De*ter"mine\, verb (used with an object) [imp. & p. p. {Determined}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Determining}.] [F. d['e]terminer, L. determinare, determinatum; de + terminare limit, terminus limit. See {Term}.]
1. To fix the boundaries of; to mark off and separate.
[God] hath determined the times before appointed. --Acts xvii. 26.
2. To set bounds to; to fix the determination of; to limit; to bound; to bring to an end; to finish.
The knowledge of men hitherto hath been determined by the view or sight. --Bacon.
Now, where is he that will not stay so long Till his friend sickness hath determined me? --Shak.
3. To fix the form or character of; to shape; to prescribe imperatively; to regulate; to settle.
The character of the soul is determined by the character of its God. --J. Edwards.
Something divinely beautiful . . . that at some time or other might influence or even determine her course of life. --W. Black.
4. To fix the course of; to impel and direct; -- with a remoter object preceded by to; as, another's will determined me to this course.
5. To ascertain definitely; to find out the specific character or name of; to assign to its true place in a system; as, to determine an unknown or a newly discovered plant or its name.
6. To bring to a conclusion, as a question or controversy; to settle authoritative or judicial sentence; to decide; as, the court has determined the cause.
7. To resolve on; to have a fixed intention of; also, to cause to come to a conclusion or decision; to lead; as, this determined him to go immediately.
8. (Logic) To define or limit by adding a differentia.
9. (Physical Sciences) To ascertain the presence, quantity, or amount of; as, to determine the parallax; to determine the salt in sea water.
From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:
adjective
1: having the power or quality of deciding; "the crucial experiment"; "cast the deciding vote"; "the determinative (or determinant) battle" [syn: {crucial}, {deciding(a)}, {determinant}, {determinative}, {determining(a)}]
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