sort out

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

sort out vb (transitive, adverb)

to find a solution to (a problem, etc), esp to make clear or tidy: it took a long time to sort out the mess
to take or separate, as from a larger group: he sorted out the most likely ones
to organize into an orderly and disciplined group
informal to beat or punish

n sort-out

informal the process of separating things that are wanted from things that are not: the kitchen needed a major sort-out

sort n. [countable]

a particular kind, class, or group;
type:There are many sorts of people.
character, quality, or nature:friends of a nice sort.
an example of something undistinguished;
a type of:He is a sort of poet.
an instance of sorting:The computer can perform a fast sort on all the entries in your database.
a person (when referring to his or her character):With all his faults, he's not a bad sort.

to arrange or separate according to kind or class:[~ + object]to sort socks into matching pairs.
Computingto place (a group of mixed objects, data, etc.) in order, as by number or alphabetical sequence: [~ + object]The computer is sorting the database now.[~ + through + object]to sort through the database.
sort out:
- [no object] to evolve;
  turn out;
  result:Wait and see how things sort out.
- to put in order;
  clarify: [~ + object + out]trying to sort things out at home.[~ + out + object]to sort out one's problems.

Idioms

Idioms of sorts:

Idioms out of sorts:

Informal Terms, Idioms sort of, somewhat;
rather;
kind of:The book was sort of interesting, wasn't it?

sort•er, n. [countable]See -sort-.

-sort-, root.

-sort- comes from Latin, where it has the meaning "kind;
type;
part.'' This meaning is found in such words as: consort, consortium, resort, sort.

sort n.

a particular kind, species, variety, class, or group, distinguished by a common character or nature:to develop a new sort of painting; nice people, of course, but not really our sort.
character, quality, or nature:young people of a nice sort.
an example of something that is undistinguished or barely adequate:He is a sort of poet.
manner, fashion, or way:We spoke in this sort for several minutes.
Printing
- any of the individual characters making up a font of type.
- Printingcharacters of a particular font that are rarely used.
an instance of sorting.
of sorts:
- of a mediocre or poor kind:a tennis player of sorts.
- of one sort or another;
  of an indefinite kind. Also, of a sort.
out of sorts:
- in low spirits;
  depressed.
- in poor health;
  indisposed;
  ill.
- in a bad temper;
  irritable:to be out of sorts because of the weather.
- Printingshort of certain characters of a font of type.
Informal Terms sort of, in a way;
somewhat;
rather:Their conversation was sort of tiresome.

v.t.

to arrange according to sort, kind, or class;
separate into sorts;
classify:to sort socks; to sort eggs by grade.
to separate or take from other sorts or from others (often fol. by out):to sort the good from the bad; to sort out the children's socks.
to assign to a particular class, group, or place (often fol. by with, together, etc.):to sort people together indiscriminately.
Scottish Termsto provide with food and shelter.
Computingto place (records) in order, as numerical or alphabetical, based on the contents of one or more keys contained in each record. Cf. key ¹ (def. 19).

v.i.

Latin sortīrī to draw lots, derivative of sors; later senses influenced by the noun, nominal and by assort
Middle French sortir)
Medieval Latin sort- (stem of sors) kind, allotted status or portion, lot, Latin: origin, originally, voter's lot; (verb, verbal) Middle English sorten to allot, arrange, assort (
Middle French sorte
(noun, nominal) Middle English 1200–50

sort′a•ble, adj.
sort′a•bly, adv.
sort′er, n.

kind

'sort out' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):

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