1 [no object] be entitled to a particular benefit or privilege by fulfilling a necessary condition:a pensioner who does not qualify for income support
become eligible for a competition or its final rounds, by reaching a certain standard or defeating a competitor:England are in danger of failing to qualify
be or make properly entitled to be classed in a particular way: [no object]:he qualifies as a genuine political refugee
2 [no object] become officially recognized as a practitioner of a particular profession or activity, typically by undertaking a course and passing examinations:the training necessary to qualify as a solicitorI’ve only just qualified
[with object] officially recognize or establish (someone) as a practitioner of a particular profession or activity:the courses qualify you as an instructor of the sport
[with object and infinitive] make (someone) competent or knowledgeable enough to do something:I’m not qualified to write on the subject
3 [with object] make (a statement or assertion) less absolute; add reservations to:she felt obliged to qualify her first short answer
archaic make (something) less severe or extreme:his sincere piety, his large heart always qualify his errors
archaic alter the strength or flavour of (something, especially a liquid):he qualified his mug of water with a plentiful infusion of the liquor
4 [with object] Grammar (of a word or phrase) attribute a quality to (another word, especially a preceding noun).
(qualify something as) archaic attribute a specified quality to something; describe something as:the propositions have been qualified as heretical
