Function 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.
function
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]
function I. nounEtymology: Latin function-, functio performance, from
fungi to perform; probably akin to Sanskrit bhuṅkte he
enjoys Date: 1533 1. professional or official position
;occupation2. the action for which a person or thing
is specially fitted or used or for which a thing exists ;purpose3. 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>; alsoresult
<illnesses that are a function of stress>
6. characteristic behavior of a chemical compound due to a
particular reactive unit; alsofunctional group7. a
computer subroutine; specifically one that performs a calculation
with variables provided by a program and supplies the program with a single
result • functionlessadjective 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>
function 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
function
(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 functionsas 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 afunctionof 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
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.
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.
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 ^{-1}x, 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.
function
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.
function
ˈfʌnŋkʃən n.
1 purpose, aim, use, role or rõle, raison d'étre, responsibility, mission, charge,
concern, business, province, duty, job, occupation, work, office, task, chore, assignment,
commission, activity: A knife's function is to cut; a guard's is to stand watch.
2 reception, gathering, affair, party, dinner, banquet, gala, ceremony, formality, rite,
ritual; occasion, event: We are attending a function at the embassy tonight. --v.
3 act, operate, perform, behave, work, go, run: Are you sure the engine is functioning
properly?
4 serve, take the role or rõle of, act the part of, act as, work as: Dunmow will function
as host in my absence.
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