Definition of sort

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sort    (sôrt) KEY 

NOUN:

1. A group of persons or things of the same general character; a kind.
2. Character or nature: books of all sorts.
3. One that exemplifies the characteristics of or serves a similar function to another: "A large dinner-party ... made a sort of general introduction for her to the society of the neighbourhood" (George Eliot).
4. A person; an individual: The clerk is a decent sort.
5. A way of acting or behaving.
6. sorts Printing One of the characters in a font of type.
7. An act or instance of sorting: did a sort on the columns of data.

TRANSITIVE VERB:
sort·ed, sort·ing, sorts

1. To arrange according to class, kind, or size; classify. See Synonyms at arrange.
2. To separate from others: sort out the wheat from the chaff.
3. To clarify by going over mentally: She tried to sort out her problems.

IDIOMS:
after a sort

In a haphazard or imperfect way: managed to paint the chair after a sort.

of sorts/a sort

1. Of a mediocre or inferior kind: a constitutional government of a sort.
2. Of one kind or another: knew many folktales of sorts.

out of sorts

1. Slightly ill.
2. Irritable; cross: The teacher is out of sorts this morning.

sort of Informal

Somewhat; rather: "Gambling and prostitution . . . have been prohibited, but only sort of" (George F. Will).

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ETYMOLOGY:
Middle English, from Old French, from Latin sors, sort-, lot; see ser-² in Indo-European roots

OTHER FORMS:
sorta·ble(Adjective), sorter(Noun)