proportion
3 ENTRIES FOUND:
plural
proportions
plural
proportions
Britannica Dictionary definition of PROPORTION
1
[count]
:
an amount that is a part of a whole
— usually + of
-
Some of the money goes to cover expenses, but a large proportion [=portion, percentage] is donated to charity.
-
These expenses account for only a small proportion of our budget.
-
The proportion of people who own their own homes is slowly increasing.
-
The solution was made from equal proportions of water and bleach.
-
A high proportion of high school students enroll in college.
-
A large proportion of the proceeds are donated to charity.
-
A small proportion of people in the group was left-handed.
2
:
the relationship that exists between the size, number, or amount of two things
[count]
— usually singular
— often + of
-
The proportion [=ratio] of boys to girls in our class is three to one. [=there are three boys for each girl in our class]
[noncount]
-
Your share of the profits will be in proportion to the amount of work that you do. [=if you do more work, you will get a larger share of the profits]
3
:
the correct or appropriate relationship between the size, shape, and position of the different parts of something
[noncount]
-
His head is large in proportion to his body. [=the size of his head seems large when compared to the size of his body]
-
The garage is not in proportion to the house. [=the garage is too small/big for the house]
-
His ears were drawn out of proportion with his head.
-
The size of the window seems out of proportion with the height of the wall.
[count]
— usually plural
-
The cathedral has classic proportions.
4
proportions
[plural]
:
the size, shape, or extent of something
-
The carpet did not fit the proportions [=dimensions] of the room.
-
It's a problem of huge/massive proportions.
-
It was a disaster of biblical/epic proportions. [=it was a terrible disaster that affected many people]
5
[noncount]
a
:
the importance of something when it is compared to other things
:
the relative importance of things
-
He has no sense of proportion.
b
◊ If you keep things in proportion, you understand which things are truly important and you do not become upset by small things that are not important.
-
Let's keep things in proportion. You should be able to wait one more day after you have waited two months already.
c
◊ If something gets out of proportion or is blown out of proportion, it becomes larger than it should be or it is treated as something worse or more important than it really is.
-
Their fears have gotten (totally/completely) out of proportion.
-
The story was blown out of proportion in the newspapers.
-
You are blowing things (all/way) out of proportion.
