Decided

Decided is the past tense and past participle of the verb decide. It also functions as an adjective. As a verb, decide means to form a conclusion after consideration or to choose a course of action. In perfect tenses, it appears as have decided or had decided. In phrases such as "decided to pursue," it introduces a deliberate intention. As an adjective, decided describes something that is settled, definite, or clear, often implying firmness, as in "a decided advantage" or "a decided improvement."

Etymology and history: Decide comes from Middle English decide, via Old French decis, from Latin decidere, de- "off" + caedere "to cut." The noun decision is from Latin decisio, with the English form appearing in the 13th century; decided as the past participle developed in Middle English and standard by the early modern period.

Usage and nuance: In legal and journalistic contexts, "the case was decided" means a court rendered a decision. In everyday English, "decide on" or "decide to" express the decision process, while "decide against" indicates rejection of an option. The adjective "decided" contrasts with "indecisive" and with "undecided" in contexts such as elections or debates. The adverb "decidedly" means "to a definite and noticeable degree."