result definition

English

Etymology

Recorded since 1432 as Middle English resulten, from Medieval Latin resultare, in Classical Latin "to spring forward, rebound", the frequentative of the past participle of resilio (“to rebound”), from re- (“back”) + salio (“to jump, leap”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɹɪˈzʌlt/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ʌlt
• Hyphenation: re‧sult

Verb

result (third-person singular simple present results, present participle resulting, simple past and past participle resulted) (intransitive)

1. To proceed, spring up or rise, as a consequence, from facts, arguments, premises, combination of circumstances, consultation, thought or endeavor.
   • 1671, John Tillotson, “Sermon IV. The Advantages of Religion to Particular Persons. Psalm XIX. 11.”, in The Works of the Most Reverend Dr. John Tillotson, Late Lord Archbishop of Canterbury: […], 8th edition, London: […] T. Goodwin, B[enjamin] Tooke, and J. Pemberton, […]; J. Round […], and J[acob] Tonson] […], published 1720, →OCLC:

     Pleasure and peace do naturally result from a holy and good life.

2. (intransitive, followed by "in") To have as a consequence; to lead to; to bring about

   This measure will result in good or in evil.

   • 2011 October 23, Phil McNulty, “Man Utd 1-6 Man City”, in BBC Sport:

     United's hopes of mounting a serious response suffered a blow within two minutes of the restart when Evans, who had endured a miserable afternoon, lost concentration and allowed Balotelli to steal in behind him. The defender's only reaction was to haul the Italian down, resulting in an inevitable red card.

   • 2013 May-June, Katrina G. Claw, “Rapid Evolution in Eggs and Sperm”, in American Scientist, volume 101, number 3:

     In plants, the ability to recognize self from nonself plays an important role in fertilization, because self-fertilization will result in less diverse offspring than fertilization with pollen from another individual.

3. (law) To return to the proprietor (or heirs) after a reversion.
4. (obsolete) To leap back; to rebound.
   • 1725, Homer, “Book XI”, in [Alexander Pope], transl., The Odyssey of Homer. […], volume III, London: […] Bernard Lintot, →OCLC:

     the huge round stone, resulting with a bound

Synonyms

• (to proceed, spring, or rise, as a consequence): follow, arise

Related terms

• resultant
• resile
• resilient
• resilience

Translations

Noun

result (plural results)

1. That which results; the conclusion or end to which any course or condition of things leads, or which is obtained by any process or operation; consequence or effect.

   the result of a course of action;  the result of a mathematical operation

   • 2013 May 25, “No hiding place”, in The Economist‎^[1], volume 407, number 8837, page 74:

     In America alone, people spent $170 billion on “direct marketing”—junk mail of both the physical and electronic varieties—last year. Yet of those who received unsolicited adverts through the post, only 3% bought anything as a result. If the bumf arrived electronically, the take-up rate was 0.1%. And for online adverts the “conversion” into sales was a minuscule 0.01%.

2. The final product, beneficial or tangible effect(s) achieved by effort.
   • 1897 December (indicated as 1898), Winston Churchill, chapter I, in The Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., →OCLC:

     The stories did not seem to me to touch life. They were plainly intended to have a bracing moral effect, and perhaps had this result for the people at whom they were aimed.

3. The decision or determination of a council or deliberative assembly; a resolve; a decree.
   • 1667, John Milton, “(please specify the book number)”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:

     Then of their session ended they bid cry / With trumpet's regal sound the great result.

4. (obsolete) A flying back; resilience.
   • 1631, Francis [Bacon], “(please specify |century=I to X)”, in Sylua Syluarum: Or A Naturall Historie. In Ten Centuries. […], 3rd edition, London: […] William Rawley; [p]rinted by J[ohn] H[aviland] for William Lee […], →OCLC:

     Sound is produced between the string and the air by the return or the result of the string.

5. (sports) The final score in a game.
   • 1935, George Goodchild, chapter 3, in Death on the Centre Court:

     It had been his intention to go to Wimbledon, but as he himself said: “Why be blooming well frizzled when you can hear all the results over the wireless. And results are all that concern me. […]”

   • 2011 September 24, David Ornstein, “Arsenal 3 - 0 Bolton”, in BBC Sport‎^[2]:

     The Gunners boss has been heavily criticised for his side's poor start to the Premier League season but this result helps lift the pressure.

6. (by extension) A positive or favourable outcome for someone.

Hyponyms

• (that which results): primitive, sum, difference, product (mathematics)

Derived terms

Translations

Interjection

result

1. (UK) An exclamation of joy following a favorable outcome.

   Synonym: get in

   • 1997, Jane Owen, Camden girls, page 117:

     'Yes! Result! Game on!' He leans forward to a mike fixed over the desk and presses one of the […]

   • 2002, Lissa Evans, Spencer's List, →ISBN, page 28:

     'Yes! Result, Nick!' He heard a distant cheer. 'Right, well I'll give you a ring on Saturday, make the arrangements.

   • 2006, Trooper 7H, Hong Kong Revisited, →ISBN, page 34:

     I was lucky enough to win by a knock-out in the second round - My opponent was Tpr McAdoo - HQ squadron won by nine fights to three (21pts to 15pts) - YES! RESULT.

   • 2010 April 10, Amy Pond, in The Beast Below (series 5, episode 2), written by Steven Moffat:

     (picking a lock) I wonder what I did...

     (the lock opens) Hey hey, result!

Anagrams

• Luster, Ulster, lurest, luster, lustre, luters, rulest, rustle, sutler, truels, ulster