method

• IPA^(key): /ˈmɛθəd/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɛθəd
• Hyphenation: meth‧od

From Middle French methode, from Latin methodus, from Ancient Greek μέθοδος (méthodos).

method (countable and uncountable, plural methods)

1. (countable) A process by which a task is completed; a way of doing something (followed by the adposition of, to or for before the purpose of the process).

   If one method doesn't work, you should ask a friend to help you.

   • 1918, W[illiam] B[abington] Maxwell, chapter III, in The Mirror and the Lamp, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC:

     He at once secured attention by his informal method, and when presently the coughing of Jarvis […] interrupted the sermon, he altogether captivated his audience with a remark about cough lozenges being cheap and easily procurable.

   • 2013 May-June, William E. Conner, “An Acoustic Arms Race”, in American Scientist‎, volume 101, number 3, archived from the original on 17 July 2013, pages 206–7:

     Many insects probably use this strategy, which is a close analogy to crypsis in the visible world—camouflage and other methods for blending into one’s visual background.

2. (uncountable) Systematicity, methodicalness, intentionality, order
   • c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene ii], page 261, column 2:

     Though this be madneſſe, / Yet there is Method in 't: […]

   • 1980 December 6, “Mousie Mousie Wildflower (personal advertisement)”, in Gay Community News, volume 8, number 20, page 14:

     There's method in the universe.
     We're lucky that things aren't worse.

3. (acting, often "the method") A technique for acting based on the ideas articulated by Konstantin Stanislavski and focusing on authentically experiencing the inner life of the character being portrayed.

   Synonym: method acting

   • 1989, Kenneth Branagh, Beginning, London: Chatto & Windus, →ISBN, page 64:

     In this case, the application of the famous method was a little shaky. To be fair, the director was dealing with a pretty stroppy cast.

4. (object-oriented programming) A subroutine or function belonging to a class or object.

   Synonym: member function

   • 2006, David A. Black, David Heinemeier Hansson, Ruby for Rails: Ruby Techniques for Rails Developers, Manning, →ISBN, page 101:

     When you call the method, you provide values corresponding to these variables in your method call.

5. (slang) Marijuana.

   Synonyms: see Thesaurus:marijuana

6. (dated) An instruction book systematically arranged.

method (third-person singular simple present methods, present participle methoding, simple past and past participle methoded)

1. (transitive) To apply a method to.
   • 1809, Rachel Russell (baroness.), Letters. To which is prefixed, an intr. vindicating the character of lord ...

     "Says he, there is above ten thousand brisk boys are ready to follow me, whenever I hold up my finger : — Says I, how have you methoded this, that they shall not be crushed, for there will be a great force to oppose you?"

2. (casting, by extension, transitive) To apply particular treatment methods to (a mold).

   The company employs extensive use of 3D modelling combined with solidification simulation to ensure that critical castings are properly methoded.

Abbreviation.

method (plural methods)

1. (skateboarding, snowboarding) Ellipsis of method air..

• mothed