Proportion

5 definitions found

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

  Geometric \Ge`o*met"ric\, Geometrical \Ge`o*met"ric*al\, a. [L.
     geometricus; Gr. ?: cf. F. g['e]om['e]trique.]
     1. Pertaining to, or according to the rules or principles of,
        geometry; determined by geometry; as, a geometrical
        solution of a problem.
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     2. (Art) characterized by simple geometric forms in design
        and decoration; as, a buffalo hide painted with red and
        black geometrical designs.
  
     Syn: geometric.
          [WordNet 1.5]
  
     Note: Geometric is often used, as opposed to algebraic, to
           include processes or solutions in which the
           propositions or principles of geometry are made use of
           rather than those of algebra.
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     Note: Geometrical is often used in a limited or strictly
           technical sense, as opposed to mechanical; thus, a
           construction or solution is geometrical which can be
           made by ruler and compasses, i. e., by means of right
           lines and circles. Every construction or solution which
           requires any other curve, or such motion of a line or
           circle as would generate any other curve, is not
           geometrical, but mechanical. By another distinction, a
           geometrical solution is one obtained by the rules of
           geometry, or processes of analysis, and hence is exact;
           while a mechanical solution is one obtained by trial,
           by actual measurements, with instruments, etc., and is
           only approximate and empirical.
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     {Geometrical curve}. Same as {Algebraic curve}; -- so called
        because their different points may be constructed by the
        operations of elementary geometry.
  
     {Geometric lathe}, an instrument for engraving bank notes,
        etc., with complicated patterns of interlacing lines; --
        called also {cycloidal engine}.
  
     {Geometrical pace}, a measure of five feet.
  
     {Geometric pen}, an instrument for drawing geometric curves,
        in which the movements of a pen or pencil attached to a
        revolving arm of adjustable length may be indefinitely
        varied by changing the toothed wheels which give motion to
        the arm.
  
     {Geometrical plane} (Persp.), the same as {Ground plane} .
  
     {Geometrical progression}, {proportion}, {ratio}. See under
        {Progression}, {Proportion} and {Ratio}.
  
     {Geometrical radius}, in gearing, the radius of the pitch
        circle of a cogwheel. --Knight.
  
     {Geometric spider} (Zool.), one of many species of spiders,
        which spin a geometrical web. They mostly belong to
        {Epeira} and allied genera, as the garden spider. See
        {Garden spider}.
  
     {Geometric square}, a portable instrument in the form of a
        square frame for ascertaining distances and heights by
        measuring angles.
  
     {Geometrical staircase}, one in which the stairs are
        supported by the wall at one end only.
  
     {Geometrical tracery}, in architecture and decoration,
        tracery arranged in geometrical figures.
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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Proportion \Pro*por"tion\, n. [F., fr. L. proportio; pro before
     + portio part or share. See {Portion}.]
     [1913 Webster]
     1. The relation or adaptation of one portion to another, or
        to the whole, as respect magnitude, quantity, or degree;
        comparative relation; ratio; as, the proportion of the
        parts of a building, or of the body.
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              The image of Christ, made after his own proportion.
                                                    --Ridley.
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              Formed in the best proportions of her sex. --Sir W.
                                                    Scott.
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              Documents are authentic and facts are true precisely
              in proportion to the support which they afford to
              his theory.                           --Macaulay.
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     2. Harmonic relation between parts, or between different
        things of the same kind; symmetrical arrangement or
        adjustment; symmetry; as, to be out of proportion. "Let us
        prophesy according to the proportion of faith." --Rom.
        xii. 6.
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     3. The portion one receives when a whole is distributed by a
        rule or principle; equal or proper share; lot.
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              Let the women . . . do the same things in their
              proportions and capacities.           --Jer. Taylor.
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     4. A part considered comparatively; a share.
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     5. (Math.)
        (a) The equality or similarity of ratios, especially of
            geometrical ratios; or a relation among quantities
            such that the quotient of the first divided by the
            second is equal to that of the third divided by the
            fourth; -- called also {geometrical proportion}, in
            distinction from arithmetical proportion, or that in
            which the difference of the first and second is equal
            to the difference of the third and fourth.
            [1913 Webster]
  
     Note: Proportion in the mathematical sense differs from
           ratio. Ratio is the relation of two quantities of the
           same kind, as the ratio of 5 to 10, or the ratio of 8
           to 16. Proportion is the sameness or likeness of two
           such relations. Thus, 5 to 10 as 8 to 16; that is, 5
           bears the same relation to 10 as 8 does to 16. Hence,
           such numbers are said to be in proportion. Proportion
           is expressed by symbols thus:
           [1913 Webster] a:b::c:d, or a:b = c:d, or a/b = c/d.
           [1913 Webster]
        (b) The rule of three, in arithmetic, in which the three
            given terms, together with the one sought, are
            proportional.
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     {Continued proportion}, {Inverse proportion}, etc. See under
        {Continued}, {Inverse}, etc.
  
     {Harmonical proportion} or {Musical proportion}, a relation
        of three or four quantities, such that the first is to the
        last as the difference between the first two is to the
        difference between the last two; thus, 2, 3, 6, are in
        harmonical proportion; for 2 is to 6 as 1 to 3. Thus, 24,
        16, 12, 9, are harmonical, for 24:9::8:3.
  
     {In proportion}, according as; to the degree that. "In
        proportion as they are metaphysically true, they are
        morally and politically false." --Burke.
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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Proportion \Pro*por"tion\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Proportioned};
     p. pr. & vb. n. {Proportioning}.] [Cf. F. proportionner. Cf.
     {Proportionate}, v.]
     1. To adjust in a suitable proportion, as one thing or one
        part to another; as, to proportion the size of a building
        to its height; to proportion our expenditures to our
        income.
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              In the loss of an object we do not proportion our
              grief to the real value . . . but to the value our
              fancies set upon it.                  --Addison.
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     2. To form with symmetry or suitableness, as the parts of the
        body.
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              Nature had proportioned her without any fault. --Sir
                                                    P. Sidney.
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     3. To divide into equal or just shares; to apportion.
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From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  proportion
       n 1: the quotient obtained when the magnitude of a part is
            divided by the magnitude of the whole [syn: {proportionality}]
       2: magnitude or extent; "a building of vast proportions" [syn:
          {dimension}]
       3: balance among the parts of something [syn: {symmetry}] [ant:
           {disproportion}]
       4: harmonious arrangement or relation of parts or elements
          within a whole (as in a design); "in all perfectly
          beautiful objects there is found the opposition of one
          part to another and a reciprocal balance"- John Ruskin
          [syn: {balance}]
       v 1: give pleasant proportions to; "harmonize a building with
            those surrounding it"
       2: adjust in size relative to other things

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

  319 Moby Thesaurus words for "proportion":
     accommodate, accord, acreage, adapt, addition, adjust, adjust to,
     agreement, allegory, allotment, allowance, amount, amplitude,
     analogousness, analogy, approximation, area,
     arithmetical proportion, arrangement, array, assimilate, attune,
     balance, balancing, beauty, big end, bigger half, bigness,
     bilateral symmetry, bit, bite, body, breadth, budget, bulk,
     caliber, cancel, capacity, change, chunk, coequality, coextension,
     commensurability, commission, comparability, comparableness,
     comparative anatomy, comparative degree, comparative grammar,
     comparative judgment, comparative linguistics,
     comparative literature, comparative method, comparativeness,
     compare, comparing, comparison, compass, compensate, concinnity,
     concord, conform, conformity, confrontation, confrontment,
     congruity, consistency, contingent, continued fraction, continuum,
     contrast, contrastiveness, coordinate, correlation, correspondence,
     counterbalance, counterpoise, countervail, coverage, cut, cut to,
     deal, degree, deployment, depth, destiny, diameter,
     differentiation, dimension, dimensions, disposal, disposition,
     distinction, distinctiveness, distribution, divide, dividend,
     division, dole, dynamic symmetry, emptiness, empty space, end,
     enlarge, equal share, equality, equalize, equate, equation,
     equilibrium, equipoise, equipollence, equiponderance, equity,
     equivalence, equivalency, euphony, eurythmics, eurythmy, even,
     even up, evenness, evolution, expanse, expansion, extension,
     extent, extrapolation, fate, field, finish, fit, fix, formation,
     fraction, galactic space, gauge, gear to, geometric ratio, girth,
     grade, graduate, greatness, group, half, halver,
     harmonic proportion, harmonize, harmony, height, helping,
     homologate, homologize, identity, improper fraction,
     infinite space, integrate, integration, interest, interpolation,
     interstellar space, interval, inversion, involution, justice,
     keeping, key to, largeness, layout, leap, length, level, levelness,
     likeness, likening, lineup, lot, magnitude, make plumb,
     make uniform, mark, marshaling, mass, match, matching, measure,
     measuredness, measurement, meed, mess, metaphor, modicum, modify,
     modulate, moiety, multilateral symmetry, multiplication, notation,
     notch, nothingness, nuance, opposing, opposition, order,
     orderedness, organization, outer space, par, parallelism, parity,
     part, pas, peace, peg, percent, percentage, period, piece, pitch,
     plane, plateau, point, poise, polarity, portion, practice,
     pro rata, proportionability, proportionality, proportionate,
     proportions, prorate, put in tune, quantum, quiet, quietude, quota,
     quotum, radius, rake-off, range, rank, rate, ratio, ration, reach,
     reconcile, rectify, reduction, regularity, regularize, regulate,
     relation, relationship, remove, rhythm, right, round, routine,
     rule of three, rung, scale, scope, segment, set, set right, setup,
     shade, shadow, shape, shapeliness, share, similarity, similarize,
     simile, similitude, size, slice, small share, sort, space,
     spatial extension, sphere, spread, square, stair, stake, standard,
     step, stint, stock, strike a balance, structure, subtraction,
     suitableness, superficial extension, surface, sweetness,
     symmetricalness, symmetry, sync, synchronize, system, tailor,
     tract, tranquillity, transformation, tread, trilateral symmetry,
     trim to, trope of comparison, true, true up, tune, uniformity,
     void, volume, weighing, width