Ramification

3 definitions found

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

  Ramification \Ram`i*fi*ca"tion\
     (r[a^]m`[i^]*f[i^]*k[=a]"sh[u^]n), n. [Cf. F. ramification.
     See {Ramify}.]
     1. The process of branching, or the development of branches
        or offshoots from a stem; also, the mode of their
        arrangement.


        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. A small branch or offshoot proceeding from a main stock or
        channel; as, the ramifications of an artery, vein, or
        nerve.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. A division into principal and subordinate classes, heads,
        or departments; also, one of the subordinate parts; as,
        the ramifications of a subject or scheme.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     4. The production of branchlike figures. --Crabb.
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  ramification
       n 1: the act of branching out or dividing into branches [syn: {branching},
             {fork}, {forking}]
       2: a part of a forked or branching shape; "he broke off one of
          the branches"; "they took the south fork" [syn: {branch},
          {fork}, {leg}]
       3: a development that complicates a situation; "the court's
          decision had many unforeseen ramifications" [syn: {complication}]
       4: an arrangement of branching parts

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

  101 Moby Thesaurus words for "ramification":
     V, appendage, arborescence, arborization, arm, bifidity, biforking,
     bifurcation, bine, bipartition, bisection, bough, branch,
     branchedness, branchiness, branching, branching off, burgeon,
     by two, complexity, complexness, complication, consequence,
     convolution, crabbedness, crotch, crutch, cutting in two, deadwood,
     delta, dichotomy, difficulty, dimidiation, divarication, division,
     effect, entanglement, extension, fan, flagellum, fork, forking,
     frond, furcation, furcula, furculum, groin, halving, hand, imp,
     implication, in half, inguen, intricacy, intricateness, involution,
     involvement, joint, leg, limb, link, lobe, lobule, member,
     offshoot, organ, outgrowth, perplexity, pinion, prong, ramage,
     result, runner, sarment, scion, shoot, slip, spear, spray, sprig,
     sprit, sprout, spur, stem, stolon, subdivision, subtlety, sucker,
     switch, tail, tanglement, technicality, tendril, thallus,
     treelikeness, trident, trifurcation, twig, upshot, wing,
     wishbone