1. [n]  (criminal law) a final judgment of guilty in a criminal case and the punishment that is imposed; "the conviction came as no surprise"
2. [n]  a string of words satisfying the grammatical rules of a language; "he always spoke in grammatical sentences"
3. [n]  the period of time a prisoner is imprisoned; "he served a prison term of 15 months"; "his sentence was 5 to 10 years"; "he is doing time in the county jail"
4. [v]  pronounce a sentence on, in a court of law; "He was condemned to ten years in prison"

1. \Sen"tence\, n. [F., from L. sententia, for sentientia,
   from sentire to discern by the senses and the mind, to feel,
   to think. See {Sense}, n., and cf. {Sentiensi}.]
   1. Sense; meaning; significance. [Obs.]
            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 judgical tribunal;
      doom. In common law, the term is exclusively used to
      denote the judgment in criminal cases.
            Received the sentence of the law.     --Shak.
   4. A short saying, usually containing moral instruction; a
      maxim; an axiom; a saw. --Broome.
   5. (Gram.) 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.
   Note: 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:
               He fills, he bounds, connects, and equals all.
                                                  --Pope.
   {Dark sentence}, a saving not easily explained.
            A king . . . understanding dark sentences. --Dan.
                                                  vii. 23.
   

2. \Sen"tence\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Sentenced}; p. pr. &
   vb. n. {Sentencing}.]
   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. [Obs.] --Shak.
   3. To utter sententiously. [Obs.] --Feltham.
   

A collection of clauses.