Announce, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Announced; p. pr. & vb. n. Announcing.]
Etymology: [OF. anoncier, F. annoncer, fr. L. annuntiare; ad + nuntiare to report, relate, nuntius messenger, bearer of news. See Nuncio, and cf. Annunciate.]
1. To give public notice, or first notice of; to make known; to publish; to proclaim. Her [Q. Elizabeth's] arrival was announced through the country by a peal of cannon from the ramparts. Gilpin.
2. To pronounce; to declare by judicial sentence. Publish laws, announce Or life or death. Prior.
Syn. -- To proclaim; publish; make known; herald; declare; promulgate. -- To Publish, Announce, Proclaim, Promulgate. We publish what we give openly to the world, either by oral communication or by means of the press; as, to publish abroad the faults of our neighbors. We announce what we declare by anticipation, or make known for the first time; as, to announce the speedy publication of a book; to announce the approach or arrival of a distinguished personage. We proclaim anything to which we give the widest publicity; as, to proclaim the news of victory. We promulgate when we proclaim more widely what has before been known by some; as, to promulgate the gospel.
Shades of meaning
To announce is to give intelligence of in some formal or public way. We may announce that which has occurred or that which is to occur, tho the word is chiefly used in the anticipative sense; we announce a book when it is in press, a guest when he arrives. We advertise our business, communicate our intentions, enunciate our views; we notify an individual, give notice to the public. Declare has often an authoritative force; to declare war is to cause war to be, where before there may have been only hostilities; we say declare war, proclaim peace. We propound a question or an argument, promulgate the views of a sect or party, or the decision of a court, etc. We report an interview, reveal a secret, herald the coming of some distinguished person or great event. Publish, in popular usage, is becoming closely restricted to the sense of issuing through the press; we announce a book that is to be published.
Prepositions
The event was announced to the family by telegraph.