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| Date: | 1600-1700 |
| Language: | Late Latin |
| Origin: | identificare, from Latin idem; IDENTITY |
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i‧den‧ti‧fy W1
past tense and past participle identified, present participle identifying, third person singular identifies [transitive]
past tense and past participle identified, present participle identifying, third person singular identifies [transitive]1 to recognize and correctly name someone or something : 
He was too far away to be able to identify faces.
He was too far away to be able to identify faces. identify somebody/something as somebody/something Eye witnesses identified the gunman as an army sergeant. The aircraft were identified as American.
Eye witnesses identified the gunman as an army sergeant.The aircraft were identified as American.2 to recognize something or discover exactly what it is, what its nature or origin is etc : Scientists have identified the gene that causes abnormal growth. They identified a number of problem areas.
Scientists have identified the gene that causes abnormal growth.They identified a number of problem areas.3 if a particular thing identifies someone or something, it makes them easy to recognize
identify with
phrasal verb1 to feel sympathy with someone or be able to share their feelings : Humans can easily identify with the emotional expressions of chimpanzees. He identified with our distress.
identify with somebody/something
Humans can easily identify with the emotional expressions of chimpanzees.He identified with our distress.2 to think that someone is very closely related to or involved with something such as a political group : She has always been identified with the radical left.
identify somebody with something
She has always been identified with the radical left.3 to think that something is the same as, or closely related to, something else : the attempt to identify crime with poverty and social problems
identify something with somebody/something
the attempt to identify crime with poverty and social problems
