What is the meaning of the word "resolved"?

[Haorong Wu]

TL;DR Summary

What is the meaning of the word "resolved"?

I have a hard time in understanding "resolved" in phrases as "resolved sideband laser cooling", "the traveling wave is well resolved", "spectrally resolved", etc.

In my opinion, "resolved" means something that is determined. But I can not relate this meaning to the phrases. Do "resolved" mean something else?

 

[phinds]

Summary: What is the meaning of the word "resolved"?

I have a hard time in understanding "resolved" in phrases as "resolved sideband laser cooling", "the traveling wave is well resolved", "spectrally resolved", etc.

In my opinion, "resolved" means something that is determined. But I can not relate this meaning to the phrases. Do "resolved" mean something else?

It can also mean "separated into components". Did you even look it up in a dictionary?

 

[mfb]

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/resolved

2a) break up, separate:
"the prism resolved the light into a play of color"
2c) to distinguish between or make independently visible adjacent parts of

 

[Haorong Wu]

It can also mean "separated into components". Did you even look it up in a dictionary?

Thanks, phinds. I am sorry I look it up in the google. It told me that

adjective
adjective: resolved

1. firmly determined to do something.

Also, I tried a app in China, it told me

resolved /ri'zɔlvd/

• adj.
  • 1.
    determined
    she was firmly resolved to be a doctor
    近义词：single-minded
  • 2.
    explained or answered
    mysteries solved and unsolved
    problems resolved and unresolved
    近义词：solved

I guess it is a bad choice to try them. @_@

 

[Haorong Wu]

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/resolved

2a) break up, separate:
"the prism resolved the light into a play of color"
2c) to distinguish between or make independently visible adjacent parts of

Thanks, mfb. I understand that it means something get split into different parts and these parts can be distinguished clearly from each other.

 

[nasu]

This is the meaning associated with the word "resolution". As in the resolution of a microscope or other instrument.

 

[sophiecentaur]

I guess it is a bad choice to try them. @_@

Not "bad", just unlucky to be dealing with a language like English that has multiple meanings for so many words. The lesson is that you need to look at a number of different sources is you want half a chance of getting the (sometimes highly nuanced) meanings out of English words and phrases.

Personally, I can see no understandable connection between 'resolution' when someone is determined to do something and the 'resolution' when we can spot the difference between two things. Then there is the 'resolved' when an argument or problem is resolved - or 'solved'- which is a third possible meaning / use of the word.

Etymology can be good fun but is a very unreliable source for 'knowing what to say'. Studying usage is a better way, imo. That means a lot of reading of many different sources and styles of text. (That probably implies using Books, rather than the sloppy old Internet.)