de·clare (d?-klâr?)v. de·clared, de·clar·ing, de·clares v.tr.1. To make known formally or officially; proclaim: declare that a fugitive has been captured; declare a mistrial. See Synonyms at announce.2. To state emphatically or authoritatively; affirm: “He wrote another prayer declaring that his conscience was weighed down with guilt” (Leo Damrosch).3. To reveal or make manifest; show: His smile declared his agreement.4. To make a full statement of (dutiable goods, for example).5. Games a. To designate (a trump suit or no-trump) with the final bid of a hand in bridge.b. To reveal (a combination of cards) to be added to one’s score.v.intr.1. To make a declaration.2. To announce one’s intention to run for public office: “My gratitude would keep me loyal to McCarthy even after Bobby Kennedy declared for president” (James Carroll).3. To proclaim one’s support, opposition, choice, or opinion: “The party … has changed, openly declaring for centralized federal power” (Ronald Reagan).Idiom: declare war1. To state formally the intention to carry on armed hostilities against.2. To state one’s intent to suppress or eradicate: declared war on drug dealing in the neighborhood.[Middle English declaren, from Old French declarer, from Latin d?cl?r?re : d?-, intensive pref.; see de- + cl?r?re, to make clear (from cl?rus, clear; see kel?- in Indo-European roots).]de·clar?a·ble adj.de·clar?er n.American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.declare (d??kl??) vb (mainly tr) 1. (may take a clause as object) to make clearly known or announce officially: to declare one’s interests; war was declared. 2. to state officially that (a person, fact, etc) is as specified: he declared him fit. 3. (Rhetoric) (may take a clause as object) to state emphatically; assert4. to show, reveal, or manifest: the heavens declare the glory of God. 5. (intr; often foll by for or against) to make known one’s choice or opinion6. (Accounting & Book-keeping) to make a complete statement of (dutiable goods, etc)7. (Card Games) (also intr) cards a. to display (a card or series of cards) on the table so as to add to one’s scoreb. to decide (the trump suit) by making the final bid8. (Cricket) (intr) cricket to close an innings voluntarily before all ten wickets have fallen9. (Banking & Finance) to authorize the payment of (a dividend) from corporate net profit[C14: from Latin d?cl?r?re to make clear, from cl?rus bright, clear] de?clarable adjCollins English Dictionary ? Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014de?clare (d??kl??r) v. -clared, -clar?ing. v.t. 1. to make known; state clearly, esp. in explicit or formal terms. 2. to announce officially; proclaim. 3. to state emphatically. 4. to reveal; indicate. 5. to make due statement of (goods for duty, income for taxation, etc.). 6. to make (a dividend) payable. 7. to bid (a trump suit or no-trump) in bridge. v.i. 8. to make a declaration. 9. to proclaim oneself: to declare against a proposal. [1275?1325; Middle English