{
    "term": "classify",
    "partOfSpeech": "verb",
    "ox5000": true,
    "cefr": "b2",
    "verbForms": {
        "presentSimple": {
            "iYouWeThey": "classify",
            "heSheIt": "classifies"
        },
        "pastSimple": "classified",
        "pastParticiple": "classified",
        "ingForm": "classifying"
    },
    "definitions": [
        {
            "senseNumber": 1,
            "definition": "to arrange something in groups according to features that they have in common",
            "sensetop": "classify something (+ adv./prep.)",
            "cefr": "b2",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "The books in the library **are classified according to** subject."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Patients **are classified into** three categories."
                },
                {
                    "text": "These can be classified under five headings."
                },
                {
                    "text": "We can classify machines in terms of their function."
                },
                {
                    "text": "All rural settlements were classified according to their size."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Antiques can be classified according to a number of criteria."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The books are all classified by subject."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Soils can be classified under two main headings."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The study recorded and classified accidents over a period of a year."
                }
            ],
            "topics": ["Scientific research"]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 2,
            "definition": "to decide which type or group somebody/something belongs to",
            "sensetop": "classify somebody/something as something",
            "cefr": "b2",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "Only eleven of these accidents were classified as major."
                },
                {
                    "text": "It was classified as a sports car, which meant a $3 000 annual insurance bill."
                }
            ],
            "topics": ["Scientific research"]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 3,
            "definition": "to state that information is officially secret",
            "sensetop": "classify something",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "All the documents relating to the case have been classified."
                }
            ]
        }
    ],
    "pronunciations": {
        "uk": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ˈklæsɪfaɪ/",
                "audio": "cl/classify/classify__gb_2.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ˈklæsɪfaɪz/",
                "audio": "cl/classify/classifies__gb_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ˈklæsɪfaɪd/",
                "audio": "cl/classify/classified__gb_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ˈklæsɪfaɪɪŋ/",
                "audio": "cl/classify/classifying__gb_1.mp3"
            }
        ],
        "us": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ˈklæsɪfaɪ/",
                "audio": "cl/classify/classify__us_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ˈklæsɪfaɪz/",
                "audio": "cl/classify/classifies__us_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ˈklæsɪfaɪd/",
                "audio": "cl/classify/classified__us_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ˈklæsɪfaɪɪŋ/",
                "audio": "cl/classify/classifying__us_2.mp3"
            }
        ]
    },
    "wordOrigin": "late 18th cent.: back-formation from classification, from French, from classe ‘class’, from Latin classis ‘division’."
}