sort

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   an approximate definition or example

   They wore a sort of magenta garment.

2. 2
   noun

   a person of a particular character or nature

   what sort of person is he?

3. 3
   noun

   an operation that segregates items into groups according to a specified criterion

   the bottleneck in mail delivery is the process of sorting

4. 4
   verb

   to deal with or have fixed something to a satisfactory level

   I'll sort out cleaning the dishes.

5. 5
   noun

   A general type.

   I stumbled along through the young pines and huckleberry bushes. Pretty soon I struck into a sort of path that, I cal'lated, might lead to the road I was hunting for. It twisted and turned, and, the first thing I knew, made a sudden bend around a bunch of bayberry scrub and opened out into a big clear space like a lawn.

6. 6
   noun

   Manner, way; form of being or acting.

   Soon as the term of those six years shall cease, Ye then shall hither back return again, The marriage to accomplish vow’d betwixt you twain. Which for my part, I covet to perform, In sort as through the world I did proclaim, That whoso kill’d that monster (most deform) And him in hardy battle overcame, Should have mine only daughter to his Dame […]

7. 7
   noun

   Condition above the vulgar; rank.

   “What think you, Captain Fluellen? is it fit this soldier keep his oath?” “He is a craven and a villain else, an’t please your majesty, in my conscience.” “It may be his enemy is a gentleman of great sort, quite from the answer of his degree.” “Though he be as good a gentleman as the devil is, as Lucifer and Belzebub himself, it is necessary, look your grace, that he keep his vow and his oath.”

8. 8
   noun

   A person evaluated in a certain way.

   good sort, bad sort

Etymology

From Middle English sort, soort, sorte (cognate Dutch soort, German Sorte, Danish sort, Swedish sort), borrowed from Old French sorte (“class, kind”), from Latin sortem, accusative form of sors (“lot, fate, share, rank, category”).