Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • intransitive verb To judge or decide in or as in the manner of an arbitrator.
  • intransitive verb To submit to settlement or judgment by arbitration.
  • intransitive verb To serve as an arbitrator or arbiter.
  • intransitive verb To submit a dispute to arbitration.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • To act as an arbitrator, or formal umpire between contestants; mediate.
  • To decide; determine; settle a question or rule otherwise indeterminate.
  • To give an authoritative decision in regard to as arbitrator; decide or determine.
  • To submit to arbitration; settle by arbitration: as, to arbitrate a dispute regarding wages.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • transitive verb To hear and decide, as arbitrators.
  • transitive verb To decide, or determine generally.
  • intransitive verb To decide; to determine.
  • intransitive verb To act as arbitrator or judge

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • verb To make a judgment (on a dispute) as an arbitrator or arbiter
  • verb To submit (a dispute) to such judgment
  • verb mathematics (rare) To assign an object an arbitrary value, or otherwise arbitrarily determine it

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • verb act between parties with a view to reconciling differences

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Latin arbitrārī, arbitrāt-, to give judgment, from arbiter, arbitr-, arbiter; see arbiter.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Latin arbitratus, past participle of arbitrari ("to be a witness, act as umpire"), from arbiter ("umpire"); see arbiter.

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Examples

  • V. iv.20 (522,4) arbitrate] -- _arbitrate_ is _determine_.

    Notes to Shakespeare, Volume III: The Tragedies Samuel Johnson 1746

  • Quoting an earlier ruling by the court, Scalia explained that "a prime objective of an agreement to arbitrate is to achieve 'streamlined proceedings and expeditious results,'" and that requiring the class-action litigation to proceed would be at odds with the intent of the FAA and the benefits that arbitration agreements ostensibly provide.

    Ars Technica Chris Foresman 2011

  • Class actions actually promote the prime objective of an agreement to arbitrate, which is "'streamlined proceedings and expeditious results.'"

    Groklaw 2008

  • Class actions actually promote the prime objective of an agreement to arbitrate, which is "'streamlined proceedings and expeditious results.'" ...

    Groklaw 2008

  • The executive branch would "arbitrate" absent action by Congress, and the only action by Congress that would be constitutional is a law about the future.

    "Clearly, the worst day was Abu Ghraib..." Ann Althouse 2006

  • The college students who organize or join these peace-at-any-price leagues are engaged, according to their feeble abilities, in cultivating a standard of manhood which, if logically applied, would make them desire to "arbitrate" with any tough individual who slapped the sister or sweetheart of one of them in the face.

    New York Times Current History; The European War, Vol 2, No. 4, July, 1915 April-September, 1915 Various

  • If that is continued a few more years, then all, strong as well as weak, will be glad to "arbitrate" if we ask them to.

    Forty-Six Years in the Army John M. Schofield

  • It gives authority to resolve disputes among member firms to Deloitte Central's CEO or designee, to "arbitrate" them, suggesting a power to control.

    Concurring Opinions 2009

  • You see the philosophical problem here of wanting a purpose in life, and one without … I can’t arbitrate which is right, but both sides are practicing religion

    KCPress Forum, and David Awbrey - The Panda's Thumb 2006

  • Prince Charles is poised to extend his influence over the skyline with an offer to arbitrate Britain's most significant planning applications, a role previously executed by a quango that had its funding axed in the comprehensive spending review.

    Prince Charles offers to take on key architectural planning role Robert Booth 2010

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