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personify

   Also found in: Medical, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia, Hutchinson 0.04 sec.
per·son·i·fy  (pr-sn-f)
tr.v. per·son·i·fied, per·son·i·fy·ing, per·son·i·fies
1. To think of or represent (an inanimate object or abstraction) as having personality or the qualities, thoughts, or movements of a living being: "To make history or psychology alive I personify it" (Anaïs Nin).
2. To represent (an object or abstraction) by a human figure.
3. To represent (an abstract quality or idea): This character personifies evil.
4. To be the embodiment or perfect example of: "Stalin now personified bolshevism in the eyes of the world" (A.J.P. Taylor).

[French personnifier, from personne, person, from Old French persone; see person.]

per·soni·fier n.

personify
Verb
[-fies, -fying, -fied]
1. to give human characteristics to (a thing or abstraction)
2. to represent (an abstract quality) in human or animal form
3. (of a person or thing) to represent (an abstract quality), as in art
4. to be the embodiment of: she can be charm personified
personification n
ThesaurusLegend:  Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
Verb1.personify - invest with or as with a body; give body to
embody, personify, be - represent, as of a character on stage; "Derek Jacobi was Hamlet"
2.personify - represent, as of a character on stage; "Derek Jacobi was Hamlet"
stand for, symbolize, typify, symbolise, represent - express indirectly by an image, form, or model; be a symbol; "What does the Statue of Liberty symbolize?"
body, personify - invest with or as with a body; give body to
exemplify, represent - be characteristic of; "This compositional style is exemplified by this fugue"
3.personify - attribute human qualities to something; "The Greeks personated their gods ridiculous"
ascribe, attribute, impute, assign - attribute or credit to; "We attributed this quotation to Shakespeare"; "People impute great cleverness to cats"

personify
Translations
personify [pəːˈsɔnɪfaɪ] vtencarnar, personificar
personify [pəːˈsɔnɪfaɪ] vtpersonnifier
personify [pəːˈsɔnɪfaɪ] person vtpersonifizieren (= embody); verkörpern
personify [pəːˈsɔnɪfaɪ] vtpersonificare


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? Mentioned in ? References in classic literature
 
Looking back after much love and much trouble, the instinct of primitive man, who seeks to personify the forces of Nature for his affection and for his fear, is awakened again in the breast of one civilized beyond that stage even in his infancy.
"I" is here introduced to personify the world in general--the Mrs.
You have stepped into quite a new character--you personify Retributive Justice now.
 
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