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Webster 1913 Edition

Proportion

Pro-por′tion

,
Noun.
[F., fr. L.
proportio
;
pro
before +
portio
part or share. See
Portion
.]
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
.
The image of Christ, made after his own
proportion
.
Ridley.
Formed in the best
proportions
of her sex.
Sir W. Scott.
Documents are authentic and facts are true precisely in
proportion
to the support which they afford to his theory.
Macaulay.
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.
3.
The portion one receives when a whole is distributed by a rule or principle; equal or proper share; lot.
Let the women . . . do the same things in their
proportions
and capacities.
Jer. Taylor.
4.
A part considered comparatively; a share.
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.
☞ 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:
a:b::c:d
, or
a:b = c:d
, or
a/b
=
c/d
.
(b)
The rule of three, in arithmetic, in which the three given terms, together with the one sought, are proportional.
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.

Pro-por′tion

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Proportioned
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Proportioning
.]
[Cf. F.
proportionner
. Cf.
Proportionate
,
Verb.
]
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.
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.
2.
To form with symmetry or suitableness, as the parts of the body.
Nature had
proportioned
her without any fault.
Sir P. Sidney.
3.
To divide into equal or just shares; to apportion.

Webster 1828 Edition

Proportion

PROPORTION

,
Noun.
[L.proportio; pro and portio, part or share. See Portion.]
1.
The comparative relation of any one thing to another. Let a man's exertions be in proportion to his strength.
2.
The identity or similitude of two ratios. Proportion differs from ratio. Ratio is the relation which determines the quantity of one thing from the quantity of another, without the intervention of a third. Thus the ratio of 5 and 10 is 2; the ratio of 8 and 16 is 2. Proportion is the sameness or likeness of two such relations. Thus 5 is to 10, as 8 to 16, or A is to B, as C is to D; that is, 5 bears the same relation to 10, as 8 does to 16. Hence we say, such numbers are in proportion.
Proportion, in mathematics, an equality or ratios.
The term proportion is sometimes improperly used for ratio. The ratio between two quantities, is expressed by the quotient of one divided by the other; thus, the ratio of 10 to 5 is 2, and the ratio of 16 to 8 is 2. These two equal ratios constitute a proportion, which is expressed by saying, 10 is to 5 as 16 is to 8; or more concisely, 10: 5:: 16: 8. [See Ratio.]
3.
In arithmetic, a rule by which, when three numbers are given, a fourth number is found, which bears the same relation to the third as the second does to the first; or a fourth number is found, bearing the same relation to the second as the first does to the third. The former is called direct, and the latter, inverse proportion.
4.
Symmetry; suitable adaptation of one part or thing to another; as the proportion of one limb to another in the human body; the proportion of the length and breadth of a room to its highth.
Harmony, with every grace,
Place in the fair proportions of her face.
5.
Equal or just share; as, to ascertain the proportion of profit to which each partner in a company is entitled.
6.
Form; size. [Little used.]
7.
The relation between unequal things of the same kind, by which their several parts correspond to each other with an equal augmentation and diminution, as in reducing and enlarging figures.
[This more properly belongs to ratio.]
Harmonical or musical proportion, is when, of three numbers,the first is to the third as the difference of the first and second to the difference of the second and third. Thus 2.3.6. are in harmonical proportion; for 2 is to 6 as 1 to 3. So also four numbers are harmonical, when the first is to the fourth, as the difference of the first and second is to the difference of the third and fourth. Thus, 24.16.12.9. are harmonical, for 24 : 9 :: 8 : 3.
Arithmetical and geometrical proportion. [See Progression, No.4.]
Reciprocal proportion, an equality between a direct and a reciprocal ratio. Thus, 4 : 2 :: 1/3 : 1/6. [See Reciprocals, and Reciprocal ratio.]

PROPORTION

,
Verb.
T.
To adjust the comparative relation of one thing or one part to another; as, to proportion the size of a building to its highth, or the thickness of a thing to its length; to proportion our expenditures to our income.
In the loss of an object, we do not proportion our grief to its real value, but to the value our fancies set upon it.
1.
To form with symmetry or suitableness, as the parts of the body.

Definition 2024

Proportion

Proportion

See also: proportion

German

Noun

Proportion f ‎(genitive Proportion, plural Proportionen)

  1. proportion

proportion

proportion

See also: Proportion

English

Noun

proportion ‎(countable and uncountable, plural proportions)

  1. (countable) A quantity of something that is part of the whole amount or number.
    • 1907, Robert W[illiam] Chambers, “chapter VI”, in The Younger Set (Project Gutenberg; EBook #14852), New York, N.Y.: A. L. Burt Company, published 1 February 2005 (Project Gutenberg version), OCLC 4241346:
      “I don't mean all of your friends—only a small proportion—which, however, connects your circle with that deadly, idle, brainless bunch—the insolent chatterers at the opera, the gorged dowagers, the worn-out, passionless men, the enervated matrons of the summer capital, […]!”
  2. (uncountable) Harmonious relation of parts to each other or to the whole.
  3. (countable) Proper or equal share.
    • Jeremy Taylor (1613–1677)
      Let the women […] do the same things in their proportions and capacities.
  4. The relation of one part to another or to the whole with respect to magnitude, quantity, or degree.
    the proportion of the parts of a building, or of the body‎
    • Lancelot Ridley (ca.1500-1576)
      The image of Christ, made after his own proportion.
    • Sir Walter Scott (1771-1832)
      Formed in the best proportions of her sex.
    • Thomas Macaulay (1800-1859)
      Documents are authentic and facts are true precisely in proportion to the support which they afford to his theory.
  5. (mathematics, countable) A statement of equality between two ratios.
  6. (countable, chiefly in the plural) Size.
    • 1898, Winston Churchill, chapter 8, in The Celebrity:
      The humor of my proposition appealed more strongly to Miss Trevor than I had looked for, and from that time forward she became her old self again; […] . Now she had come to look upon the matter in its true proportions, and her anticipation of a possible chance of teaching him a lesson was a pleasure to behold.
    • 2012 May 20, Nathan Rabin, “TV: Review: THE SIMPSONS (CLASSIC): “Marge Gets A Job” (season 4, episode 7; originally aired 11/05/1992)”, in The Onion AV Club:
      What other television show would feature a gorgeously designed sequence where a horrifically mutated Pierre and Marie Curie, their bodies swollen to Godzilla-like proportions from prolonged exposure to the radiation that would eventually kill them, destroy an Asian city with their bare hands like vengeance-crazed monster-Gods?

Derived terms

Translations

Verb

proportion ‎(third-person singular simple present proportions, present participle proportioning, simple past and past participle proportioned)

  1. (art) To set or render in proportion.

Translations

French

Pronunciation

Noun

proportion f ‎(plural proportions)

  1. proportion

Etymology

From Middle English proporcion, from Old French proportion, from Latin proportio ‎(“comparative relation, proportion, symmetry, analogy”), from pro ‎(“for, before”) + portio ‎(“share, part”); see portion.

Pronunciation

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