# sort

Pronunciation: US say "SORT" /soɹt/; say "SAWT" UK /sɔːt/, AUS /soːt/

## Noun

1. A general kind or category that things or people can be grouped into.
   - Simple: A group of people or things that are alike in some way.
   - _This sort of problem comes up often in long negotiations._
   - _What sort of music do you usually listen to on long drives?_
5. A person regarded as being of a particular character or kind. *(colloquial)*
   - Simple: A person of a particular kind, judged by what they are like.
   - _He struck everyone as a decent sort._
   - _They're the adventurous sort, always planning the next trip._
6. An instance of arranging or separating things into groups or order.
   - Simple: The act of putting things into groups or into order.
   - _A careful sort of the data revealed several duplicate entries._
   - _The mailroom does a final sort before the evening delivery._
7. An algorithm that arranges a list of items into a particular sequence.
   - Simple: A computer method for putting a list in order.
   - _A merge sort divides the list, orders each half, and recombines the pieces._
   - _Engineers benchmarked several sorts to find the fastest one._
8. A woman considered good-looking or sexually attractive, the word itself carrying that praise rather than describing what kind of person she is. *(colloquial, Australia, British)*
   - Simple: A good-looking woman.
   - _His mates teased him for chatting up the sort at the next table._
   - _By all accounts she had been a proper sort in her younger days._

## Verb

2. To separate things into groups according to their kind, size or another quality, putting each with others like it.
   - Simple: To put things into groups, so that things of the same kind are together.
   - _Volunteers sort donated clothing into bins by size._
   - _The software sorts incoming messages into folders automatically._
3. To arrange items into a sequence, usually by number, letter, or date.
   - Simple: To put things in order, such as by number or by letter.
   - _The program can sort thousands of records in seconds._
   - _He sorted the spreadsheet by total revenue._
4. To fix a problem or handle a task so that it is taken care of. *(colloquial, British)*
   - Simple: To deal with a problem or task and get it done.
   - _Don't worry about the leaking boiler; the plumber is coming in the morning to sort it._
   - _The plumber sorted the leak before lunch._
9. To physically attack or beat someone. *(colloquial, British)*
   - Simple: To hurt someone by hitting or attacking them.
   - _The bouncers promised to sort the troublemaker if he showed his face again._
   - _Word went round that the gang had sorted two rivals behind the pub._

## Verb

10. To choose or pick out one or more from a larger number. *(obsolete)*
   - Simple: To choose one or some from a group.
12. To adapt or fit something to circumstances; to make it conform. *(obsolete)*
   - Simple: To change something so it fits a situation.

## Noun

11. A manner or way of being or acting. *(archaic)*
   - Simple: A way of doing or being something.
13. High rank or social standing above that of common people. *(obsolete)*
   - Simple: A high rank or position in society.
14. A group or company of people or animals. *(obsolete)*
   - Simple: A group of people or animals that are together.
15. The fate, fortune, or destiny allotted to a person. *(obsolete)*
   - Simple: The fate or future that life brings to a person.
16. An object used to decide a question by chance; a lot. *(obsolete)*
   - Simple: A small object drawn or thrown to decide something by chance.
17. A complete set of matching items, such as a pair of shoes or a suit of clothes. *(obsolete)*
   - Simple: A complete set of matching things, like a pair of shoes.

## Other meanings

- (noun) A piece of metal type that prints a single letter, character, or symbol in one size and style.
- (noun) A type, used to classify the objects that a formal system can talk about.
- (verb) To come together or keep company with others, especially those of one's own kind or species.
- (verb) To suit, fit, or be in accord with something; to harmonize.
- (verb) To castrate a male animal, especially a horse.

## Origin

**Meanings 1, 5–8, 11, 13–17** — Borrowed through Middle English from Old French sorte ("class, kind"), which came from Latin sors (accusative sortem), meaning "lot, fate, share, rank, or category." It is related to Dutch soort, German Sorte, Danish sort, and Swedish sort.
**Meanings 2–4, 9–10, 12** — Goes back to Latin sors, which gave sortīre ("to draw lots, divide, choose"); Old French made it sortir ("to allot, sort"), and Middle English had it as sorten.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/sort (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).