different between surmount vs solve

English

Etymology

From Middle English [Term?], from Old French surmonter (“to rise above, surmount”), from sur- (“above”) + monter (“to mount”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /s??ma?nt/
• (US) IPA^(key): /s??ma?nt/

Verb

surmount (third-person singular simple present surmounts, present participle surmounting, simple past and past participle surmounted)

1. (transitive) To get over; to overcome.
   • 1748. David Hume. Enquiries concerning the human understanding and concerning the principles of moral. London: Oxford University Press, 1973. § 10.

     this difficulty may perhaps be surmounted by care and art

2. (transitive) To cap; to sit on top off.

Related terms

• surmountable
• insurmountable

Translations

Further reading

• surmount in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• surmount in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
• surmount at OneLook Dictionary Search

English

Etymology

From Latin solv?.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /s?lv/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /s?lv/, /s?lv/

Verb

solve (third-person singular simple present solves, present participle solving, simple past and past participle solved)

1. To find an answer or solution to a problem or question; to work out.

   • True piety would effectually solve such scruples.

   • 1649, Thomas Tickell, Thoughts occasioned by the sight of an original picture of King Charles I taken at the time of his trial

     God shall solve the dark decrees of fate.
2. (mathematics) To find the values of variables that satisfy a system of equations and/or inequalities.
3. (mathematics) To algebraically manipulate an equation or inequality into a form that isolates a chosen variable on one side, so that the other side consists of an expression that may be used to generate solutions.
4. (transitive) To loosen or separate the parts of.

Derived terms

• resolve
• solvable
• solution

Related terms

Translations

Noun

solve (plural solves)

1. (now rare, chiefly law enforcement) A solution; an explanation.
   • 2014 February 4, The Party, Gil Ozeri and Gabe Liedman (writers), Michael Engler (director), Brooklyn Nine-Nine, season 1, episode 16:

     KEVIN: I decided a long time ago that just because I love Raymond, doesn't mean I have to love the people he works with. Good solve, Detective.

   • 2017, Elodia Strain, The Dating Experiment (?ISBN):

     “Hey, Mr. Quilt Bandit.”
     Ian smiled. “Nice solve, Nancy Drew.”

Anagrams

• Loves, loves, slove, voles, voëls

Italian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?s?l.ve/
• Rhymes: -?lve

Verb

solve

1. third-person singular present indicative of solvere

Anagrams

• svelo, svelò, volse

Latin

Pronunciation

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /?sol.u?e/, [?s????u??]
• (Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /?sol.ve/, [?s?lv?]

Verb

solve

1. second-person singular present active imperative of solv?

References

• solve in Charles du Fresne du Cange’s Glossarium Mediæ et Infimæ Latinitatis (augmented edition, 1883–1887)