What does characterise mean?

Dominic Kwiatkowski:

This new resistance locus is particularly interesting because it lies so close to genes that are gatekeepers for the malaria parasite's invasion machinery, we now need to drill down at this locus to characterise these complex patterns of genetic variation more precisely and to understand the molecular mechanisms by which they act.

Goldoni:

Noble birth is an accident of fortune, noble actions characterise the great.

Daragh Maher:

We have been talking about it being the beginning of the end and that's still the way I would characterise it, what it will have done, I think, is raised some doubts in people's minds that the bull run is not without end.

Robin Bhar:

There are still growth headwinds, currency headwinds, so prices will struggle to maintain rallies. This risk-on, risk-off mentality will characterise our summer period and the weeks ahead of us look to be pretty choppy.