indicate Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. verb be a signal for or a symptom of
    bespeak; signal; betoken; point.
    • These symptoms indicate a serious illness
    • Her behavior points to a severe neurosis
    • The economic indicators signal that the euro is undervalued
  2. verb indicate a place, direction, person, or thing; either spatially or figuratively
    show; designate; point.
    • I showed the customer the glove section
    • He pointed to the empty parking space
    • he indicated his opponents
  3. verb to state or express briefly
    • indicated his wishes in a letter
  4. verb give evidence of
    argue.
    • The evidence argues for your claim
    • The results indicate the need for more work
  5. verb suggest the necessity of an intervention; in medicine
    suggest.
    • Tetracycline is indicated in such cases

WordNet

In"di*cate transitive verb
Etymology
L. indicatus, p. p. of indicare to indicate; pref. in- in + dicare to proclaim; akin to dicere to say. See Diction, and cf. Indict, Indite.
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Indicated ; present participle & verbal noun Indicating
Definitions
  1. To point out; to discover; to direct to a knowledge of; to show; to make known.
    That turns and turns to indicate From what point blows the weather. Cowper.
  2. (Med.) To show or manifest by symptoms; to point to as the proper remedies; as, great prostration of strength indicates the use of stimulants.
  3. (Mach.) To investigate the condition or power of, as of steam engine, by means of an indicator. Syn. -- To show; mark; signify; denote; discover; evidence; evince; manifest; declare; specify; explain; exhibit; present; reveal; disclose; display.

Webster 1913