Sen″tence (?), n. [F., from L. sententia, for sentientia, from sentire to discern by the senses and the mind, to feel, to think. See Sense, n., and cf. Sentiensi.] 1. Sense; meaning; significance.
Tales of best sentence and most solace. Chaucer.
The discourse itself, voluble enough, and full of sentence. Milton.
2. (a) An opinion; a decision; a determination; a judgment, especially one of an unfavorable nature.
My sentence is for open war. Milton.
That by them we may pass sentence upon his doctrines. Atterbury.
(b) A philosophical or theological opinion; a dogma; as, Summary of the Sentences; Book of the Sentences.
3. (Law) In civil and admiralty law, the judgment of a court pronounced in a cause; in criminal and ecclesiastical courts, a judgment passed on a criminal by a court or judge; condemnation pronounced by a judicial tribunal; doom. In common law, the term is exclusively used to denote the judgment in criminal cases.
Received the sentence of the law. Shak.
4. A short saying, usually containing moral instruction; a maxim; an axiom; a saw. Broome.
5. (Gram.) A combination of words which is complete as expressing a thought, and in writing is marked at the close by a period, or full point. See Proposition, 4.
☞ Sentences are simple or compound. A simple sentence consists of one subject and one finite verb; as, “The Lord reigns.” A compound sentence contains two or more subjects and finite verbs, as in this verse: -
He fills, he bounds, connects, and equals all. Pope.
Dark sentence, a saying not easily explained.
A king... understanding dark sentences. Dan. vii. 23.