Adjacent Words

Function definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

FUNC'TION, n. [L. functio, from fungor, to perform.]
1. In a general sense, the doing, executing or performing of any thing; discharge; performance; as the function of a calling or office. More generally,
2. Office or employment, or any duty or business belonging to a particular station or character, or required of a person in the station or character. Thus we speak of the functions of a chancellor, judge or bishop; the functions of a parent or guardian.
3. Trade; occupation. [Less proper.]
4. The office of any particular part of animal bodies; the peculiar or appropriate action of a member or part of the body, by which the animal economy is carried on. Thus we speak of the functions of the brain and nerves, of the heart, of the liver, of the muscles, etc.
5. Power; faculty, animal or intellectual.
As the mind opens, and its functions spread.
6. In mathematics, the function of a variable quantity, is any algebraic expression into which that quantity enters, mixed with other quantities that have invariable values.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: (mathematics) a mathematical relation such that each element of a given set (the domain of the function) is associated with an element of another set (the range of the function) [syn: function, mathematical function, single-valued function, map, mapping]
2: what something is used for; "the function of an auger is to bore holes"; "ballet is beautiful but what use is it?" [syn: function, purpose, role, use]
3: the actions and activities assigned to or required or expected of a person or group; "the function of a teacher"; "the government must do its part"; "play its role" [syn: function, office, part, role]
4: a relation such that one thing is dependent on another; "height is a function of age"; "price is a function of supply and demand"
5: a formal or official social gathering or ceremony; "it was a black-tie function"
6: a vaguely specified social event; "the party was quite an affair"; "an occasion arranged to honor the president"; "a seemingly endless round of social functions" [syn: affair, occasion, social occasion, function, social function]
7: a set sequence of steps, part of larger computer program [syn: routine, subroutine, subprogram, procedure, function] v
1: perform as expected when applied; "The washing machine won't go unless it's plugged in"; "Does this old car still run well?"; "This old radio doesn't work anymore" [syn: function, work, operate, go, run] [ant: malfunction, misfunction]
2: serve a purpose, role, or function; "The tree stump serves as a table"; "The female students served as a control group"; "This table would serve very well"; "His freedom served him well"; "The table functions as a desk" [syn: serve, function]
3: perform duties attached to a particular office or place or function; "His wife officiated as his private secretary" [syn: officiate, function]

Merriam Webster's

I. noun Etymology: Latin function-, functio performance, from fungi to perform; probably akin to Sanskrit bhu?kte he enjoys Date: 1533 1. professional or official position ; occupation 2. the action for which a person or thing is specially fitted or used or for which a thing exists ; purpose 3. any of a group of related actions contributing to a larger action; especially the normal and specific contribution of a bodily part to the economy of a living organism 4. an official or formal ceremony or social gathering 5. a. a mathematical correspondence that assigns exactly one element of one set to each element of the same or another set b. a variable (as a quality, trait, or measurement) that depends on and varies with another <height is a function of age>; also result <illnesses that are a function of stress> 6. characteristic behavior of a chemical compound due to a particular reactive unit; also functional group 7. a computer subroutine; specifically one that performs a calculation with variables provided by a program and supplies the program with a single result • functionless adjective Synonyms: function, office, duty, province mean the acts or operations expected of a person or thing. function implies a definite end or purpose that the one in question serves or a particular kind of work it is intended to perform <the function of language is two-fold: to communicate emotion and to give information — Aldous Huxley>. office is typically applied to the function or service expected of a person by reason of a trade or profession or a special relationship to others <they exercise the offices of the judge, the priest, the counsellor — W. E. Gladstone>. duty applies to a task or responsibility imposed by one's occupation, rank, status, or calling <it is the judicial duty of the court, to examine the whole case — R. B. Taney>. province applies to a function, office, or duty that naturally or logically falls to one <I felt it was not my province to inquire — Anne Brontë>. II. intransitive verb (functioned; functioning) Date: 1856 1. to have a function ; serve <an attributive noun functions as an adjective> 2. to carry on a function or be in action ; operate <a government functions through numerous divisions>

Britannica Concise

In mathematics, an expression, rule, or law that defines a relationship between one variable (the independent variable) and another (the dependent variable), which changes along with it. Most functions are numerical; that is, a numerical input value is associated with a single numerical output value. The formula , for example, assigns to each positive real number the area of a circle with a radius of that length. The symbols and are typically used for functions of the independent variable . A multivariable function such as is a rule for deriving a single numerical value from more than one input value. A periodic function repeats values over fixed intervals. If for any value of is a periodic function with a period of length (a constant). The trigonometric functions are periodic. See also density function, exponential function, hyperbolic function, inverse function, transcendental function.

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. & v. --n. 1 a an activity proper to a person or institution. b a mode of action or activity by which a thing fulfils its purpose. c an official or professional duty; an employment, profession, or calling. 2 a a public ceremony or occasion. b a social gathering, esp. a large, formal, or important one. 3 Math. a variable quantity regarded in relation to another or others in terms of which it may be expressed or on which its value depends (x is a function of y and z). 4 a part of a program that corresponds to a single value. --v.intr. fulfil a function, operate; be in working order. Derivatives: functionless adj. Etymology: F fonction f. L functio -onis f. fungi funct- perform

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Function Func"tion, n. 1. (Eccl.) A religious ceremony, esp. one particularly impressive and elaborate. Every solemn `function' performed with the requirements of the liturgy. --Card. Wiseman. 2. A public or social ceremony or gathering; a festivity or entertainment, esp. one somewhat formal. This function, which is our chief social event. --W. D. Howells.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Fluent Flu"ent, n. 1. A current of water; a stream. [Obs.] 2. [Cf. F. fluente.] (Math.) A variable quantity, considered as increasing or diminishing; -- called, in the modern calculus, the function or integral.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Function Func"tion, n. [L. functio, fr. fungi to perform, execute, akin to Skr. bhuj to enjoy, have the use of: cf. F. fonction. Cf. Defunct.] 1. The act of executing or performing any duty, office, or calling; per formance. ``In the function of his public calling.'' --Swift. 2. (Physiol.) The appropriate action of any special organ or part of an animal or vegetable organism; as, the function of the heart or the limbs; the function of leaves, sap, roots, etc.; life is the sum of the functions of the various organs and parts of the body. 3. The natural or assigned action of any power or faculty, as of the soul, or of the intellect; the exertion of an energy of some determinate kind. As the mind opens, and its functions spread. --Pope. 4. The course of action which peculiarly pertains to any public officer in church or state; the activity appropriate to any business or profession. Tradesmen . . . going about their functions. --Shak. The malady which made him incapable of performing his regal functions. --Macaulay. 5. (Math.) A quantity so connected with another quantity, that if any alteration be made in the latter there will be a consequent alteration in the former. Each quantity is said to be a function of the other. Thus, the circumference of a circle is a function of the diameter. If x be a symbol to which different numerical values can be assigned, such expressions as x^2, 3^x, Log. x, and Sin. x, are all functions of x. Algebraic function, a quantity whose connection with the variable is expressed by an equation that involves only the algebraic operations of addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, raising to a given power, and extracting a given root; -- opposed to transcendental function. Arbitrary function. See under Arbitrary. Calculus of functions. See under Calculus. Carnot's function (Thermo-dynamics), a relation between the amount of heat given off by a source of heat, and the work which can be done by it. It is approximately equal to the mechanical equivalent of the thermal unit divided by the number expressing the temperature in degrees of the air thermometer, reckoned from its zero of expansion. Circular functions. See Inverse trigonometrical functions (below). -- Continuous function, a quantity that has no interruption in the continuity of its real values, as the variable changes between any specified limits. Discontinuous function. See under Discontinuous. Elliptic functions, a large and important class of functions, so called because one of the forms expresses the relation of the arc of an ellipse to the straight lines connected therewith. Explicit function, a quantity directly expressed in terms of the independently varying quantity; thus, in the equations y = 6x^2, y = 10 -x^3, the quantity y is an explicit function of x. Implicit function, a quantity whose relation to the variable is expressed indirectly by an equation; thus, y in the equation x^2 + y^2 = 100 is an implicit function of x. Inverse trigonometrical functions, or Circular function, the lengths of arcs relative to the sines, tangents, etc. Thus, AB is the arc whose sine is BD, and (if the length of BD is x) is written sin ^-1x, and so of the other lines. See Trigonometrical function (below). Other transcendental functions are the exponential functions, the elliptic functions, the gamma functions, the theta functions, etc. One-valued function, a quantity that has one, and only one, value for each value of the variable. -- Transcendental functions, a quantity whose connection with the variable cannot be expressed by algebraic operations; thus, y in the equation y = 10^x is a transcendental function of x. See Algebraic function (above). -- Trigonometrical function, a quantity whose relation to the variable is the same as that of a certain straight line drawn in a circle whose radius is unity, to the length of a corresponding are of the circle. Let AB be an arc in a circle, whose radius OA is unity let AC be a quadrant, and let OC, DB, and AF be drawnpependicular to OA, and EB and CG parallel to OA, and let OB be produced to G and F. E Then BD is the sine of the arc AB; OD or EB is the cosine, AF is the tangent, CG is the cotangent, OF is the secant OG is the cosecant, AD is the versed sine, and CE is the coversed sine of the are AB. If the length of AB be represented by x (OA being unity) then the lengths of Functions. these lines (OA being unity) are the trigonometrical functions of x, and are written sin x, cos x, tan x (or tang x), cot x, sec x, cosec x, versin x, coversin x. These quantities are also considered as functions of the angle BOA.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Function Func"tion, Functionate Func"tion*ate, v. i. To execute or perform a function; to transact one's regular or appointed business.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(functions, functioning, functioned) Frequency: The word is one of the 1500 most common words in English. 1. The function of something or someone is the useful thing that they do or are intended to do. The main function of the merchant banks is to raise capital for industry. = purpose, role N-COUNT: with supp 2. If a machine or system is functioning, it is working or operating. The authorities say the prison is now functioning normally... VERB: V 3. If someone or something functions as a particular thing, they do the work or fulfil the purpose of that thing. On weekdays, one third of the room functions as workspace. VERB: V as n 4. A function is a series of operations that a computer performs, for example when a single key or a combination of keys is pressed. N-COUNT 5. If you say that one thing is a function of another, you mean that its amount or nature depends on the other thing. (FORMAL) Investment is a function of the interest rate. N-COUNT: usu sing, N of n 6. A function is a large formal dinner or party. N-COUNT

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

n. 1. Performance, execution, discharge, exercise. 2. Office, duty, business, employment, occupation, part, province. 3. (Math.) Dependent, derivative, value derived. 4. (Math.) Law of derivation, form of function, form.

Foolish Dictionary

Devoid of joy. (See FUN)

Moby Thesaurus

IC analysis, act, act as, acting, action, activism, activities, activity, affair, affairs, aim, ambition, animus, appositive, aspiration, assignment, attribute, attributive, baccalaureate service, bag, banquet, be effective, be in action, behave, behavior, business, capacity, celebration, ceremonial, ceremony, character, chore, commencement, commerce, commission, complement, concern, concernment, construction modifier, convocation, counsel, cutting, deep structure, desideration, desideratum, design, desire, determination, dinner, direct object, do duty, doing, duty, effect, employ, employment, empty formality, end use, enterprise, event, exercise, exercises, faculty, filler, fixed purpose, form, form of worship, form-function unit, formal, formality, formula, formulary, functioning, gala, gathering, go, goal, graduation, graduation exercises, have effect, have free play, have play, holy rite, idea, immediate constituent analysis, immediate purpose, inaugural, inauguration, indirect object, initiation, institution, intendment, intent, intention, interest, job, labor, levels, liturgy, lookout, make, mark, matter, meaning, militate, mind, mission, mode of worship, modifier, motive, move, movements, mummery, mystery, nisus, object, objective, observance, occasion, occupation, office, officiate, operate, operation, operational purpose, operations, order of worship, ordinance, part, party, percolate, perform, perform as, performance, perk, phrase structure, place, plan, play, point, position, practice, praxis, predicate, prescribed form, proceed, project, proposal, prospectus, province, purpose, qualifier, raison d'etre, ranks, reception, religious ceremony, resolution, resolve, responsibility, rite, rite de passage, rite of passage, ritual, ritual observance, rituality, role, run, sacrament, sacramental, sake, serve, service, shallow structure, slot, slot and filler, solemnity, solemnization, strata, striving, structure, study, subject, surface structure, swing, syntactic analysis, syntactic structure, syntactics, syntax, tagmeme, take effect, target, task, thing, tick, ultimate purpose, underlying structure, undertaking, use, view, will, word arrangement, word order, work, work as, working, workings