Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary · 1913

Sentence

Sentence , noun

[French, from Latin sententia, for sentientia, from sentire to discern by the senses and the mind, to feel, to think. See Sense, n., and compare Sentiensi.]

1.
Sense; meaning; significance. [Obsolete]
Tales of best sentence and most solace. — Chaucer
The discourse itself, voluble enough, and full of sentence. — Milton
2.
(a) An opinion; a decision; a determination; a judgment, especially one of an unfavorable nature.
My sentence is for open war. — Milton
That by them [Luther's works] we may pass sentence upon his doctrines. — Atterbury
(b)
A philosophical or theological opinion; a dogma; as, Summary of the Sentences; Book of the Sentences.
3.
(Law) In civil and admiralty law, the judgment of a court pronounced in a cause; in criminal and ecclesiastical courts, a judgment passed on a criminal by a court or judge; condemnation pronounced by a judicial tribunal; doom. In common law, the term is exclusively used to denote the judgment in criminal cases.
Received the sentence of the law. — Shakespeare
4.
A short saying, usually containing moral instruction; a maxim; an axiom; a saw. — Broome
5.
(Grammar) A combination of words which is complete as expressing a thought, and in writing is marked at the close by a period, or full point. See Proposition, 4.
He fills, he bounds, connects, and equals all. — Pope
A king... understanding dark sentences. — Dan. vii. 23

Sentences are simple or compound. A simple sentence consists of one subject and one finite verb; as, “The Lord reigns.” A compound sentence contains two or more subjects and finite verbs, as in this verse: -

Collocations (1)
Dark sentence , a saying not easily explained.

Sentence , transitive verb

1.
To pass or pronounce judgment upon; to doom; to condemn to punishment; to prescribe the punishment of.
Nature herself is sentenced in your doom. — Dryden
2.
To decree or announce as a sentence. [Obsolete] — Shakespeare
3.
To utter sententiously. [Obsolete] — Feltham