sort

sort [sôrt]

n.

[ME < MFr < VL * sorta < L sors (gen. sortis), lot, chance, fate, akin to serere, to join together, arrange: see SERIES]

1. any group of persons or things related by having something in common; kind; class

2. quality or type; nature [remarks of that sort]

3. Archaic manner or way

4. Comput. the act or an instance of sorting

5. [usually pl.] Printing any of the kinds of characters in a font of type

vt.

to place, separate, or arrange according to class or kind: often with out

vi.

1. Archaic to associate; consort

2. Archaic to harmonize or agree; suit

3. Comput. to arrange a group of records in a particular way, as chronologically or alphabetically, so that they can be accessed more efficiently

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after a sort

in some way but not very well

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of sorts

1. of various kinds

2. of a poor or inferior kind: also of a sort

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out of sorts

1. Printing lacking certain sorts of type

2. Informal

a) not in a good humor; cross

b) not feeling well; slightly ill

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sort of

Informal somewhat

sortable

adj.

sorter

n.