kind

I

[[t]kaɪnd[/t]]

adj. -er, -est

1) of a good or benevolent nature or disposition, as a person

2) having, showing, or proceeding from benevolence:

kind words[/ex]

3) considerate or helpful; humane (often fol. by to):

to be kind to animals[/ex]

4) clement:

kind weather[/ex]

•

Etymology: bef. 900; ME kind(e) natural, well-disposed, OE gecynde natural II

kind

[[t]kaɪnd[/t]] n.

1) a class or group of animals, people, objects, etc., classified on the basis of common traits; category

2) nature or character:

to differ in degree rather than kind[/ex]

3) an example of something; variety; sort

4) a more or less adequate example of something:

The vines formed a kind of roof[/ex]

5) archaic

a) natural disposition or character

b) manner; form

6) Obs. gender; sex

•

- in kind kind of of a kind

Etymology: bef. 900; ME kinde, OE gecynd nature, race, origin; c. OHG kikunt, ON kyndi, L gēns (gen. gentis); akin to kin usage: The phrase these (or those) kind of, followed by a plural noun (these kind of flowers; those kind of shoes) is frequently condemned as ungrammatical because it is said to combine a plural demonstrative (these; those) with a singular noun, kind . Historically, kind is an unchanged or unmarked plural noun like deer, folk, sheep, and swine, and the construction these kind of is an old one, occurring in the writings of Shakespeare, Swift, Jane Austen, and, in modern times, Winston Churchill and Jimmy Carter. kind has also developed the plural kinds, evidently because of the feeling that the old pattern was incorrect. these kind of nevertheless persists in use, esp. in less formal speech and writing. In edited, more formal prose, this kind of and thesekindsof are more common. sort of has been influenced by the use of kind as an unchanged plural: these sort of books. This construction too is often considered incorrect and appears mainly in less formal speech and writing. kind (or sort) of as an adverbial modifier meaning “somewhat” occurs in informal speech and writing: Sales have been kind (or sort) of slow these last few weeks.