solutions

1. 1
   noun

   Plural of solution.

   The committee weighed competing solutions before approving a final plan.

   The lab prepared two saline solutions at slightly different concentrations.

   Note

   Each countable meaning of solution makes its plural here. A chemist's solutions are dissolved mixtures, a planner's are ways of solving a problem, and a vendor's are products or services, especially software. The surrounding words do the sorting: saline solutions points to the lab, while solutions to a problem points to answers. The same spelling also serves as the verb's present tense, so position in the sentence tells noun from verb.

2. 2
   verb

   Third-person singular simple present of solution.

   Note

   Behind this form stands a much narrower verb than the noun: to solution something is to treat it with a solution. It takes a direct object and agrees with a singular subject, which is the only way to tell it from the noun plural spelled identically. If the subject is singular and an object follows, the word is the verb.

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