Distribution

5 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Distribution \Dis`tri*bu"tion\, n. [L. distributio: cf. F.
     distribution.]
     1. The act of distributing or dispensing; the act of dividing
        or apportioning among several or many; apportionment; as,
        the distribution of an estate among heirs or children.
        [1913 Webster]


  
              The phenomena of geological distribution are exactly
              analogous to those of geography.      --A. R.
                                                    Wallace.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. Separation into parts or classes; arrangement of anything
        into parts; disposition; classification.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. That which is distributed. "Our charitable distributions."
        --Atterbury.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     4. (Logic) A resolving a whole into its parts.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     5. (Print.) The sorting of types and placing them in their
        proper boxes in the cases.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     6. (Steam Engine) The steps or operations by which steam is
        supplied to and withdrawn from the cylinder at each stroke
        of the piston; viz., admission, suppression or cutting
        off, release or exhaust, and compression of exhaust steam
        prior to the next admission.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     {Geographical distribution}, the natural arrangements of
        animals and plants in particular regions or districts.
  
     Syn: Apportionments; allotment; dispensation; disposal;
          dispersion; classification; arrangement.
          [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  distribution
       n 1: (statistics) an arrangement of values of a variable showing
            their observed or theoretical frequency of occurrence
            [syn: {statistical distribution}]
       2: the spatial property of being scattered about over an area
          or volume [syn: {dispersion}] [ant: {concentration}]
       3: the act of distributing or spreading or apportioning
       4: the commercial activity of transporting and selling goods
          from a producer to a consumer

From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:

  72 Moby Thesaurus words for "distribution":
     administration, allocation, allotment, apportionment, arrangement,
     array, arraying, assignment, attenuation, broadcast, broadcasting,
     cataloguing, circulation, circumfusion, classification,
     codification, collation, collocation, constitution, deployment,
     diffraction, diffusion, dilution, disbursal, disbursement,
     dispensation, dispersal, dispersion, disposal, disposition,
     dissemination, dissipation, divergence, division, dole, doling,
     doling out, evaporation, expansion, form, formation, formulation,
     fragmentation, giving out, grouping, issuance, marshaling, order,
     ordering, passing around, paying out, peppering, placement,
     propagation, publication, radiation, regimentation, scattering,
     scatterment, sequence, sharing, shotgun pattern, sowing,
     spattering, splay, spread, spreading, sprinkling, strewing,
     structuring, syntax, volatilization
  
  

From Jargon File (4.3.1, 29 Jun 2001) [jargon]:

  distribution n. 1. A software source tree packaged for distribution;
     but see {kit}. Since about 1996 unqualified use of this term often
     implies `{Linux} distribution'. The short form {distro} is often used
     for this sense. 2. A vague term encompassing mailing lists and Usenet
     newsgroups (but not {BBS} {fora}); any topic-oriented message channel
     with multiple recipients. 3. An information-space domain (usually
     loosely correlated with geography) to which propagation of a Usenet
     message is restricted; a much-underutilized feature.
  
  

From The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (27 SEP 03) [foldoc]:

  distribution
       
          1.  A software source tree packaged for
          distribution; but see {kit}.
       
          2.  A vague term encompassing {mailing list}s and
          {Usenet} {newsgroup}s (but not {BBS} {fora}); any
          topic-oriented message channel with multiple recipients.
       
          3.  An information-space domain (usually loosely
          correlated with geography) to which propagation of a {Usenet}
          message is restricted; a much-underused feature.
       
          [{Jargon File}]