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Definitions of function [ˈfʌŋk ʃən]

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Definition of 'function'

Random House Webster's College Dictionary

1. (n.) function
the kind of action or activity proper to a person, thing, or institution; the purpose for which something is designed or exists; role.

2.  function
any ceremonious public or social gathering or occasion.

3.  function
a factor related to or dependent upon other factors:
Price is a function of supply and demand.

4.  function
a formula expressing a relation between the angles of a triangle and its sides, as sine or cosine.

5.  function
the grammatical role a linguistic form has or the position it occupies in a particular construction.

6.  function
the contribution made by a social activity or structure to the maintenance of a social system.

7. (v.i.) function
to work; operate.

8.  function
to have or exercise a function; serve.

Etymology: (1525–35; < L functiō a performance, execution, der. of fungī to perform, execute)

Definition of 'function'

Princeton's WordNet

1. (noun) function, mathematical function, single-valued function, map, mapping
(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)

2. (noun) function, purpose, role, use
what something is used for
"the function of an auger is to bore holes"; "ballet is beautiful but what use is it?"

3. (noun) function, office, part, role
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"

4. (noun) function
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. (noun) function
a formal or official social gathering or ceremony
"it was a black-tie function"

6. (noun) affair, occasion, social occasion, function, social function
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"

7. (verb) routine, subroutine, subprogram, procedure, function
a set sequence of steps, part of larger computer program

8. (verb) function, work, operate, go, run
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"

9. (verb) serve, function
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"

10. (verb) officiate, function
perform duties attached to a particular office or place or function
"His wife officiated as his private secretary"

Definition of 'function'

Kernerman English Learner’s Dictionary

1. (noun) function
the purpose or job that sb or sth has
What is the function of these cells in the body?; The cells perform an important function.

2. function
a social or official event
town meetings and other public functions

3. (verb) function
to work or operate
The elevator was not functioning.; I can't function until I've drunk my coffee.

4. function
function as
to have a particular function
The research center functions as a meeting point for scientists.

Definition of 'function'

Webster Dictionary

1. (noun) function
the act of executing or performing any duty, office, or calling; per formance

2. (noun) function
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. (noun) function
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

4. (noun) function
the course of action which peculiarly pertains to any public officer in church or state; the activity appropriate to any business or profession

5. (noun) function
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 x2, 3x, Log. x, and Sin. x, are all functions of x

6. (verb) function
alt. of Functionate

Translation of 'function'

Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary

Sense: a special job, use or duty (of a machine, part of the body, person etc) The function of the brake is to stop the car.
Afrikaans: funksie, doel	Arabic: وَظيفَه، عَمَل	Bulgarian: функция
Brazilian: função	Czech: funkce	German: die Funktion
Danish: funktion; opgave	Greek: λειτουργία	Spanish: función
Estonian: ülesanne, otstarve	Farsi: کار؛ عملکرد	Finnish: tehtävä
French: fonction	Hebrew: תַפקִיד	Hindi: प्रकार्य, सामाजिक सम्मेलन
Croatian: funkcija, posao	Hungarian: rendeltetés, funkció	Indonesian: fungsi
Icelandic: starf, hlutverk	Italian: funzione, compito	Japanese: 機能
Korean: 직무, 직능	Lithuanian: funkcija	Latvian: funkcija; amatpienākums
Malay: fungsi	Dutch: functie	Norwegian: funksjon, virksomhet
Polish: funkcja	Persian: کار؛ عملکرد	Pashto: وظيفه، دنده، خاص مقصدمراس
Portuguese: função	Romanian: rol	Russian: функция
Slovak: funkcia,úloha, význam	Slovenian: funkcija	Serbian: funkcija
Swedish: funktion	Thai: หน้าที่	Turkish: görev, işlev
Taiwanese: 功能	Ukrainian: функція; призначення	Urdu: کسی فرد یا ادارے کا منصبی
Vietnamese: chức năng	Chinese: 功能
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'function' - Nearby Entries
function function call function word functional magnetic resonance imaging functionary functioning fundamental frequency

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