Definition of "declare" in English

verb

1. (obsolete, transitive) To make clear, explain, interpret.

2. (transitive, intransitive) To assert or announce formally, officially, explicitly, or emphatically.

   • He declared him innocent.
   • declare bankruptcy
   • declare victory
   • declare war
   • One South Korean opposition party called on Moon to declare the current air pollution problem a national disaster.
   • declare an innings closed

3. (transitive) To inform government customs or taxation officials of goods one is importing or of income, expenses, or other circumstances affecting one's taxes.

4. (card games) To show one's cards in order to score.

5. (intransitive, politics) For a constituency in an election to officially announce the result

   • Houghton and Sunderland South was the first constituency to declare in the 2015 general election.

6. (cricket) The decision of the captain to let the bowling side bat in test cricket to save time without being all out.

   • He declared at 689-7.

7. (transitive, programming) To explicitly establish the existence of (a variable, function, etc.) without necessarily describing its content.

   • The counter "i" was declared as an integer.

8. (grand strategy games, slang) to declare war [with on]

   • France declared on me, I'm finished!

9. (Christianity, particularly Evangelicalism) To state that a thing shall happen or affirm a condition in the hopes of seeing it happen spiritually, in contrast to prayer which takes the form of a request.

   • He prayed to God "please heal my sister", while she declared "I am healed in Jesus' name".