Literary notes about Characterize (AI summary)
In literature, the word "characterize" is widely employed to delineate the distinctive features of characters, ideas, or phenomena. Some authors use it to capture the essence of individuals, highlighting nuances in personality or appearance, as when subtle mood shifts or defining expressions are noted [1][2]. At other times, the term serves to encapsulate broader universal qualities or historical trends, enabling a succinct summary of complex social or philosophical patterns [3][4]. Moreover, "characterize" functions as a tool for analytic description, offering a way to contrast entities or ideas by pinpointing what makes them unique, whether applied to abstract ideals [5] or concrete physical traits [6]. This versatile usage underscores its value in literary discourse, where precision in description can illuminate both the minutiae and the overarching character of the subject.
- He had grown thinner; something of gloom and anxiety had taken the place of that cordial serenity which used to characterize his features.
— from Carmilla by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu - 5. Characterize Sir Trevisan by his appearance, speech, and actions.
— from Spenser's The Faerie Queene, Book I by Edmund Spenser - The strength and depth of the respect and love for woman, as woman, which characterize this age, can not be overstated.
— from History of Woman Suffrage, Volume I - And these two traits are precisely what characterize the democratically constituted society.
— from Democracy and Education: An Introduction to the Philosophy of Education by John Dewey - Ethos means the guiding beliefs, standards or ideals that characterize a group or community."
— from The Ethical Engineer by Harry Harrison - The words which characterize it in administrative language are sonorous and dignified.
— from Les Misérables by Victor Hugo
