find

find (oneself)

1. To discover and pursue one's true and inherent character, passion, skill, or vocation. I know you're unhappy in your job, so I think you should take some time off to really find yourself. Many students leave college and realize that they still have yet to find themselves.
2. To discover, recognize, or realize one's location, thoughts, or sentiments. Lost in a deep reverie, I suddenly found myself in a neighborhood I didn't recognize. I find myself inclined to agree with the professor's assessment.
See also: find
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

find

(something) out the hard way Go to learn (something) the hard way.

find

(something) out (about someone or something) (from someone or something) to learn something about someone or something from someone or something. What did you find out about Terry from Mr. Franklin? I didn't find anything out about Roger from the newspaper stories. I found out what I wanted to know about solar flares from the encyclopedia. What did you find out about Bill?

find

oneself Fig. to discover what one's talents and preferences are. Bill did better in school after he found himself. John tried a number of different jobs. He finally found himself when he became a cook.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
See:
  • A good man is hard to find.
  • barn find
  • be like trying to find a needle in a haystack
  • bit off
  • busiest men have the most leisure
  • can’t find one’s butt with both hands
  • can’t find one’s butt with both hands in broad daylight
  • can't find (one's) butt with both hands
  • can't find (one's) butt with both hands in broad daylight
  • can't find butt with both hands
  • couldn't find (one's) way out of a paper bag
  • devil finds work for idle hands to do
  • enclosed please find (something)
  • enclosed please find...
  • even a blind hog finds an acorn every now and then
  • even a blind pig can find an acorn once in a while
  • everyone can find fault, few can do better
  • find
  • find (one) guilty
  • find (one) in
  • find (one) innocent
  • find (one) not guilty
  • find (one) with (one's) fingers in the till
  • find (one) with (one's) hand in the till
  • find (one's) (own) level
  • find (one's) bearings
  • find (one's) calling
  • find (one's) feet
  • find (one's) match
  • find (one's) tongue
  • find (one's) voice
  • find (one's)/its way
  • find (oneself)
  • find (oneself) in the market for (something)
  • find (oneself) with (something)
  • find (oneself) without (someone or something)
  • find (someone or something) a bit off
  • find (someone or something) a little off
  • find (something) out the hard way
  • find (something) wanting
  • find a happy medium
  • find a way around
  • find a/(one's) way around (someone or something)
  • find against
  • find against (someone or something)
  • find common ground
  • find fault
  • find fault with (someone or something)
  • find favor with
  • find favor with (one)
  • find feet
  • find for
  • find for (someone or something)
  • find God
  • find guilty
  • find in
  • find it in (one's) heart to (do something)
  • find it in (oneself) (to do something)
  • find it in heart
  • find it in one's heart
  • find it in one's heart, (not) to
  • find it in your heart to do something
  • find its way somewhere
  • find one's way
  • find oneself
  • find oneself in the market
  • find oneself with
  • find oneself without
  • find out
  • find out a thing or two
  • find out a thing or two (about someone or something)
  • find out how the land lies
  • find own level
  • find the net
  • find the root of the problem
  • find the time
  • find tongue
  • find true north
  • find way
  • find way around
  • find your feet
  • find your tongue
  • find your voice/tongue
  • find your/its way
  • find/get your bearings
  • find/meet your match
  • get (one's) bearings
  • get one's bearings
  • Good men are scarce
  • hide nor hair
  • I find your lack of (something) disturbing
  • in a bind
  • in a jam
  • in mint condition
  • in the doghouse
  • in the market
  • in the public eye
  • it is easy to find a stick to beat a dog
  • Keep a thing seven years and you'll find a use for it
  • keep a thing seven years, and you'll (always) find a use for it
  • learn the hard way
  • like looking for a needle in a haystack
  • like looking for/trying to find a needle in a haystack
  • love will (always) find a way
  • Love will find a way
  • meet (one's) match
  • root of the problem
  • scratch (something) and you'll find (something else)
  • scratch A and you'll find B
  • scratch and find
  • seek and ye shall find
  • speak as (one) finds
  • speak as you find
  • strike a happy medium
  • take (someone) as (one) finds them
  • take somebody as you find them
  • that's for me to know and you to find out
  • the busiest men find the most time
  • the devil finds work for idle hands
  • the devil finds work for idle hands to do
  • Where can (one) find you?
  • Where will I find you?
References in classic literature
You will find it something of a job to get all the Fuddles together, so I advise you to begin on the Lord High Chigglewitz, whose first name is Larry.
What your own peculiarity is I will not venture to say; but I shall never find fault with you, whatever you do."
This is a queer country, and we may as well take people as we find them."
The Emerald City of Oz
We would find the hammer for him, and then he would have lost sight of the mark he had made on the wall, where the nail was to go in, and each of us had to get up on the chair, beside him, and see if we could find it; and we would each discover it in a different place, and he would call us all fools, one after another, and tell us to get down.
Then we had to find the rule and the string again, and a new hole was made; and, about midnight, the picture would be up - very crooked and insecure, the wall for yards round looking as if it had been smoothed down with a rake, and everybody dead beat and wretched - except Uncle Podger.
You will find the boat easier to pull then, and it will not be so liable to upset, and it will not matter so much if it does upset; good, plain merchandise will stand water.
Three Men In A Boat
"If I can find a Woozy, I'll get the hairs from its tail," said Ojo.
"All right," returned Ojo, trying not to feel discouraged; "I'll try to find it."
"Very well," said the Patchwork Girl, "I'm going to serve you and your wife by helping Ojo find the things you need.
The Patchwork Girl of Oz
The magician was delighted to find that his search had been successful, and at once set to work to interpret the secret signs engraved upon the ring, but it took him seven weeks to make them out clearly.
The King's daughter often dreamed that her husband was going through some great suffering: she therefore begged her father to summon all the enchanters and magicians, that they might try to find out where the Prince was and how he could be set free.
Yellow Fairy Book
I kept no company but in the family when I lodged, and with the clergyman's lady at next door; so that when he was absent I visited nobody, nor did he ever find me out of my chamber or parlour whenever he came down; if I went anywhere to take the air, it was always with him.
I assured him I never suspected him; that if I had I should not so easily have yielded to the freedom which brought it on, but that it was all a surprise, and was owing to the accident of our having yielded too far to our mutual inclinations that night; and indeed I have often observed since, and leave it as a caution to the readers of this story, that we ought to be cautious of gratifying our inclinations in loose and lewd freedoms, lest we find our resolutions of virtue fail us in the junction when their assistance should be most necessary.
The Fortunes and Misfortunes of the Famous Moll Flanders
They could scarce have room to tell their tale, the Spaniards were so eager to tell them theirs: and it was strange enough to find that three men should thus bully nineteen, and receive no punishment at all.
The Spaniards, indeed, despised them, and especially, having thus disarmed them, made light of their threatenings; but the two Englishmen resolved to have their remedy against them, what pains soever it cost to find them out.
Further Adventures of Robinson Crusoe