indicate
verb/ˈɪndɪˌkeɪt/
Etymology Borrowed from Latin indicātus, perfect passive participle of indicō (“to point out, indicate”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from in- (“in, to”) + dicō (“to declare, (originally) to point”). See also diction and index.
1
Sometimes, With 'of' To point out; to discover; to direct to a knowledge of; to show; to make known.
- The guard blew his whistle to indicate imminent departure.
- With just the turn of a shoulder she indicated the water front, where, at the end of the dock on which they stood, lay the good ship, Mount Vernon, river packet, the black smoke already pouring from her stacks.1910, Emerson Hough, “A Lady in Company”, in The Purchase Price: Or The Cause of Compromise, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC:
3 more examples
- The story struck the depressingly familiar note with which true stories ring in the tried ears of experienced policemen.[…]The second note, the high alarum, not so familiar and always important since it indicates the paramount sin in Man's private calendar, took most of them by surprise although they had been well prepared.1963, Margery Allingham, “Eye Witness”, in The China Governess: A Mystery, London: Chatto & Windus, →OCLC, page 249:
- The willingness of the principals to forgo further argument as the triviality which it in fact is and to petition directly the chambers of the historical absolute clearly indicates of how little moment are the opinions and of what great moment the divergences thereof.1985, Cormac McCarthy, chapter XVII, in Blood Meridian […] , →OCLC:
- Many genes with reproductive roles also have antibacterial and immune functions, which indicate that the threat of microbial attack on the sperm or egg may be a major influence on rapid evolution during reproduction.2013 May-June, Katrina G. Claw, “Rapid Evolution in Eggs and Sperm”, in American Scientist, volume 101, number 3:
2
Medicine, Sciences To show or manifest by symptoms.
- Great prostration of strength indicates the use of stimulants.
3
Medicine, Sciences To point to as the proper remedies.
- It was strange to buy things I used to consider luxuries but were now medically indicated, like air conditioning and well-made shoes.1990 February 4, Margy Dowzer, Mary Frances Platt, Aviva Shmuckler, “Disability And Accessibility Cost Money!”, in Gay Community News, volume 17, number 29, page 13:
4
To signal in a vehicle the desire to turn right or left.
5
To investigate the condition or power of, as of steam engine, by means of an indicator.
- To a person who is familiar with the use of an indicator, whether it be of one make or another, it is needless to give instructions as to how an engine should be indicated,[…].1903, “How to indicate an engine”, in The Star Improved Steam Engine Indicator, page 64:
- I found it fully as easy to indicate an engine at a speed of 320 to 340 revolutions as at 80.1905, Power, volume 25, page 448:
1 more example
- An indicator will give the working of these valves at all times and soon return its cost in higher engine efficiency. The day has passed when it was only the expert who could indicate an engine or afford to own an indicator.1905, Central Station, volume 5, page 76:
- Derived terms
- contraindicate, counterindicate, indicable, indicatable, indicatory, nonindicated, preindicate, subindicate, unindicated
- Related terms
- index, indication, indicative, indicator, indicatrix