v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Established p. pr. & vb. n. Establishing. ] [ OE. establissen, OF. establir, F. établir, fr. L. stabilire, fr. stabilis firm, steady, stable. See Stable, a., -ish, and cf. Stablish. ] 1. To make stable or firm; to fix immovably or firmly; to set (a thing) in a place and make it stable there; to settle; to confirm. [ 1913 Webster ]

So were the churches established in the faith. Acts xvi. 5. [ 1913 Webster ]

The best established tempers can scarcely forbear being borne down. Burke. [ 1913 Webster ]

Confidence which must precede union could be established only by consummate prudence and self-control. Bancroft. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To appoint or constitute for permanence, as officers, laws, regulations, etc.; to enact; to ordain. [ 1913 Webster ]

By the consent of all, we were established
The people's magistrates. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Now, O king, establish the decree, and sign the writing, that it be not changed. Dan. vi. 8. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To originate and secure the permanent existence of; to found; to institute; to create and regulate; -- said of a colony, a state, or other institutions. [ 1913 Webster ]

He hath established it [ the earth ], he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited. Is. xlv. 18. [ 1913 Webster ]

Woe to him that buildeth a town with blood, and establisheth a city by iniquity! Hab. ii. 12. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. To secure public recognition in favor of; to prove and cause to be accepted as true; as, to establish a fact, usage, principle, opinion, doctrine, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

At the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established. Deut. xix. 15. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. To set up in business; to place advantageously in a fixed condition; -- used reflexively; as, he established himself in a place; the enemy established themselves in the citadel. [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. 1. brought about or set up or accepted; especially long and widely accepted; as, distrust of established authority; a team established as a member of a major league; enjoyed his prestige as an established writer; an established precedent; the established Church. Contrasted with unestablished. [ Narrower terms: entrenched; implanted, planted, rooted; official; recognized ] [ WordNet 1.5 ]

2. securely established; as, an established reputation.
Syn. -- firm. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

3. settled securely and unconditionally.
Syn. -- accomplished, effected. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

4. conforming with accepted standards. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

5. shown to be valid beyond a reasonable doubt; as, the established facts in the case.
Syn. -- proved. [ WordNet 1.5 +PJC ]

6. (Bot.) introduced from another region and persisting without cultivation; -- of plants.
Syn. -- naturalized. [ WordNet 1.5 +PJC ]

. (Contract bridge, Whist) A plain suit in which a player (or side) could, except for trumping, take tricks with all his remaining cards. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. One who establishes. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. OF. establissement, F. établissement. ] 1. The act of establishing; a ratifying or ordaining; settlement; confirmation. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The state of being established, founded, and the like; fixed state. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. That which is established; as: (a) A form of government, civil or ecclesiastical; especially, a system of religion maintained by the civil power; as, the Episcopal establishment of England. (b) A permanent civil, military, or commercial, force or organization. (c) The place in which one is permanently fixed for residence or business; residence, including grounds, furniture, equipage, etc.; with which one is fitted out; also, any office or place of business, with its fixtures; that which serves for the carrying on of a business; as, to keep up a large establishment; a manufacturing establishment. [ 1913 Webster ]

Exposing the shabby parts of the establishment. W. Irving. [ 1913 Webster ]

Establishment of the port (Hydrography), a datum on which the tides are computed at the given port, obtained by observation, viz., the interval between the moon's passage over the meridian and the time of high water at the port, on the days of new and full moon. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who regards the Church primarily as an establishment formed by the State, and overlooks its intrinsic spiritual character. Shipley. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. the doctrine or political position that advocates establishment of a church as the official state religion; -- applied especially to the Church of England.. [ PJC ]