generalize
verbOPAL W
/ˈdʒenrəlaɪz/
/ˈdʒenrəlaɪz/
(British English also generalise)
Verb Forms
| present simple I / you / we / they generalize | /ˈdʒenrəlaɪz/ /ˈdʒenrəlaɪz/ |
| he / she / it generalizes | /ˈdʒenrəlaɪzɪz/ /ˈdʒenrəlaɪzɪz/ |
| past simple generalized | /ˈdʒenrəlaɪzd/ /ˈdʒenrəlaɪzd/ |
| past participle generalized | /ˈdʒenrəlaɪzd/ /ˈdʒenrəlaɪzd/ |
| -ing form generalizing | /ˈdʒenrəlaɪzɪŋ/ /ˈdʒenrəlaɪzɪŋ/ |
- [intransitive] generalize (from something) to use a particular set of facts or ideas in order to form an opinion that is considered relevant to a different situation
- It would be foolish to generalize from a single example.
- We cannot generalize from these few examples.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryverb + generalize- can
- be easy to
- be possible to
- …
- about
- from
- [intransitive] generalize (about something) to make a general statement about something and not look at the details
- It is dangerous to generalize about the poor.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryverb + generalize- can
- be easy to
- be possible to
- …
- about
- from
- [transitive, often passive] (formal) to apply a theory, idea, etc. to a wider group or situation than the original one
- be generalized (to something) These conclusions cannot be generalized to the whole country.
- generalize something (to something) We are now in a position to generalize the lessons we have learnt.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryverb + generalize- can
- be easy to
- be possible to
- …
- about
- from
Word OriginMiddle English (in the sense ‘reduce to a general statement’): from general + -ize.