13 results for: bias Browse Nearby Entries
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This
bi·as    Audio Help   [bahy-uhs] Pronunciation Key noun, adjective, adverb, verb, bi·ased, bi·as·ing or (especially British) bi·assed, bi·as·sing.
–noun
1.an oblique or diagonal line of direction, esp. across a woven fabric.
2.a particular tendency or inclination, esp. one that prevents unprejudiced consideration of a question; prejudice.
3.Statistics. a systematic as opposed to a random distortion of a statistic as a result of sampling procedure.
4.Lawn Bowling.
a.a slight bulge or greater weight on one side of the ball or bowl.
b.the curved course made by such a ball when rolled.
5.Electronics. the application of a steady voltage or current to an active device, as a diode or transistor, to produce a desired mode of operation.
6.a high-frequency alternating current applied to the recording head of a tape recorder during recording in order to reduce distortion.
–adjective
7.cut, set, folded, etc., diagonally: This material requires a bias cut.
–adverb
8.in a diagonal manner; obliquely; slantingly: to cut material bias.
–verb (used with object)
9.to cause partiality or favoritism in (a person); influence, esp. unfairly: a tearful plea designed to bias the jury.
10.Electronics. to apply a steady voltage or current to (the input of an active device).
11.on the bias,
a.in the diagonal direction of the cloth.
b.out of line; slanting.

[Origin: 1520–30; < MF biais oblique < OPr, prob. < VL *(e)bigassius < Gk epikársios oblique, equiv. to epi- epi- + -karsios oblique]

2. predisposition, preconception, predilection, partiality, proclivity; bent, leaning. Bias, prejudice mean a strong inclination of the mind or a preconceived opinion about something or someone. A bias may be favorable or unfavorable: bias in favor of or against an idea. Prejudice implies a preformed judgment even more unreasoning than bias, and usually implies an unfavorable opinion: prejudice against a race. 9. predispose, bend, incline, dispose.
2. impartiality.
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
bias

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© 2008 Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This
Bi·as    Audio Help   [bahy-uhs] Pronunciation Key
–noun
fl. 570 b.c., Greek philosopher, born in Ionia.
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
bi·as    Audio Help   (bī'əs)  Pronunciation Key 
n.  
  1. A line going diagonally across the grain of fabric: Cut the cloth on the bias.
    1. A preference or an inclination, especially one that inhibits impartial judgment.
    2. An unfair act or policy stemming from prejudice.
    3. A weight or irregularity in a ball that causes it to swerve, as in lawn bowling.
    4. The tendency of such a ball to swerve.
  2. A statistical sampling or testing error caused by systematically favoring some outcomes over others.
  3. Sports
    1. A weight or irregularity in a ball that causes it to swerve, as in lawn bowling.
    2. The tendency of such a ball to swerve.
  4. The fixed voltage applied to an electrode.

adj.   Slanting or diagonal; oblique: a bias fold.

tr.v.   bi·ased or bi·assed, bi·as·ing or bi·as·sing, bi·as·es or bi·as·ses
  1. To influence in a particular, typically unfair direction; prejudice.
  2. To apply a small voltage to (a grid).


[French biais, slant, from Provençal, perhaps ultimately from Greek epikarsios, slanted; see sker-1 in Indo-European roots.]

Synonyms: These verbs mean to influence unfavorably or detrimentally: His experiences biased his outlook. Your misbehavior has colored my opinion of you. Dishonest leaders have jaundiced her view of politics. Lying has prejudiced the public against them. Bitterness has warped your judgment. See Also Synonyms at incline, predilection.

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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
bias 
1530, from M.Fr. biasis "slant, oblique," from O.Prov. biais, possibly from V.L. *(e)bigassius, from Gk. epikarsios "slanting, oblique," from epi- "upon" + karsios "oblique." Transferred sense of "predisposition, prejudice" is from 1572.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This
bias

adjective
1. slanting diagonally across the grain of a fabric; "a bias fold" 

noun
1. a partiality that prevents objective consideration of an issue or situation 
2. a line or cut across a fabric that is not at right angles to a side of the fabric [syn: diagonal

verb
1. influence in an unfair way; "you are biasing my choice by telling me yours" 
2. cause to be biased 

WordNet® 3.0, © 2006 by Princeton University.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
bias1 [ˈbaiəs] noun
favouring of one or other (side in an argument etc) rather than remaining neutral
Example: a bias against people of other religions
Arabic: تحيُّـز، محاباة، تحامُـل)
Chinese (Simplified): 偏见
Chinese (Traditional): 偏見
Czech: zaujatost, předsudek
Danish: partiskhed; ensidig
Dutch: vooroordeel
Estonian: eelarvamus, erapoolikus
Finnish: ennakkoluulo, puolueellisuus
French: parti pris
German: das Vorurteil
Greek: προκατάληψη, μεροληψία
Hungarian: elfogultság
Icelandic: hlutdrægni
Indonesian: sikap berat sebelah
Italian: pregiudizio
Japanese: 偏見
Korean: 편견
Latvian: aizspriedums; tieksme; nosliece
Lithuanian: šališkumas
Norwegian: partiskhet, forutinntatt holdning
Polish: stronniczość, uprzedzenie
Portuguese (Brazil): parcialidade
Portuguese (Portugal): preconceito
Romanian: înclinaţie, direcţie
Russian: предубеждение
Slovak: zaujatosť (voči)
Slovenian: predsodek
Spanish: parcialidad, prejuicio
Swedish: partiskhet, positiv (negativ) inställning till
Turkish: ön yargı, peşin hüküm
bias2 [ˈbaiəs] noun
a weight on or in an object (eg a bowl for playing bowls) making it move in a particular direction
Arabic: ثِقَلٌ يُسَبِّبُ المَيْل
Chinese (Simplified): 倾斜
Chinese (Traditional): 傾斜
Czech: výstředné vytížení
Danish: indbygget vægt, som giver en skrå retning
Dutch: verzwaring aan a aa an kant
Estonian: raskus
Finnish: paino
French: déviation
German: die Neigung
Greek: βάρος που τοποθετείται στην μπάλα για να την κάνει να κ
Hungarian: eltérés
Icelandic: misþungi
Indonesian: menyimpang
Italian: deviazione, inclinazione
Japanese: ゆがみ
Korean: (공의 한 쪽에 붙인) 무게
Lithuanian: svarstis, apkrova
Norwegian: innebygd vekt (som gir en skrå retning)
Polish: obciążenie
Portuguese (Brazil): desvio
Portuguese (Portugal): viés
Romanian: greutate
Russian: уклон, смещение центра тяжести
Slovak: nerovnomerný beh (chod)
Slovenian: odklon
Spanish: desviación
Swedish: ensidig belastning, tyngd
Turkish: yumru, şişkinlik, ağırlık
bias [ˈbaiəs] verb
to influence (usually unfairly)
Example: He was biased by the report in the newspapers.
Arabic: يُأثِّرُ في، يوَجِّه في اتجاهٍ مُعَيَّن
Chinese (Simplified): 使有偏见
Chinese (Traditional): 使有偏見
Czech: ovlivnit
Danish: give et skævt billede; forudindtaget
Dutch: voorinnemen
Estonian: mõjutama
Finnish: vaikuttaa, tehdä puolueelliseksi
French: influencer
German: beeinflußt sein
Greek: προδιαθέτω
Hungarian: befolyásol
Icelandic: gera hlutdrægan, verða fyrir áhrifum
Indonesian: mempengaruhi secara tidak adil
Italian: influenzare
Japanese: 偏見をもたせる
Korean: 편견을 갖게 하다
Latvian: ietekmēt; noskaņot
Lithuanian: paveikti
Norwegian: gi et skjevt bilde, være forutinntatt
Polish: nastawić niechętnie
Portuguese (Brazil): influenciar
Portuguese (Portugal): influenciar
Romanian: a influenţa
Russian: оказывать (неблагоприятное) влияние
Slovak: ovplyvniť
Slovenian: vplivati
Spanish: influenciar, predisponer
Swedish: påverka
Turkish: taraf tutmak, kayırmak
See also: bias(s)ed

Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary, © 2000-2006 K Dictionaries Ltd.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Bias

Bent\, n. [See Bend, n. & v.]

1. The state of being curved, crooked, or inclined from a straight line; flexure; curvity; as, the bent of a bow. [Obs.] --Wilkins.

2. A declivity or slope, as of a hill. [R.] --Dryden.

3. A leaning or bias; proclivity; tendency of mind; inclination; disposition; purpose; aim. --Shak.

With a native bent did good pursue. --Dryden.

4. Particular direction or tendency; flexion; course.

Bents and turns of the matter. --Locke.

5. (Carp.) A transverse frame of a framed structure.

6. Tension; force of acting; energy; impetus. [Archaic]

The full bent and stress of the soul. --Norris.

Syn: Predilection; turn.

Usage: Bent, Bias, Inclination, Prepossession. These words agree in describing a permanent influence upon the mind which tends to decide its actions. Bent denotes a fixed tendency of the mind in a given direction. It is the widest of these terms, and applies to the will, the intellect, and the affections, taken conjointly; as, the whole bent of his character was toward evil practices. Bias is literally a weight fixed on one side of a ball used in bowling, and causing it to swerve from a straight course. Used figuratively, bias applies particularly to the judgment, and denotes something which acts with a permanent force on the character through that faculty; as, the bias of early education, early habits, etc. Inclination is an excited state of desire or appetency; as, a strong inclination to the study of the law. Prepossession is a mingled state of feeling and opinion in respect to some person or subject, which has laid hold of and occupied the mind previous to inquiry. The word is commonly used in a good sense, an unfavorable impression of this kind being denominated a prejudice. "Strong minds will be strongly bent, and usually labor under a strong bias; but there is no mind so weak and powerless as not to have its inclinations, and none so guarded as to be without its prepossessions." --Crabb.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Bias

Bi"as\ (b[imac]"as), n.; pl. Biases (-[e^]z). [F. biasis, perh. fr. LL. bifax two-faced; L. bis + facies face. See Bi-, and cf. Face.]

1. A weight on the side of the ball used in the game of bowls, or a tendency imparted to the ball, which turns it from a straight line.

Being ignorant that there is a concealed bias within the spheroid, which will . . . swerve away. --Sir W. Scott.

2. A leaning of the mind; propensity or prepossession toward an object or view, not leaving the mind indifferent; bent; inclination.

Strong love is a bias upon the thoughts. --South.

Morality influences men's lives, and gives a bias to all their actions. --Locke.

3. A wedge-shaped piece of cloth taken out of a garment (as the waist of a dress) to diminish its circumference.

4. A slant; a diagonal; as, to cut cloth on the bias.

Syn: Prepossession; prejudice; partiality; inclination. See Bent.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Bias

Bi"as\, a. 1. Inclined to one side; swelled on one side. [Obs.] --Shak.

2. Cut slanting or diagonally, as cloth.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Bias

Bi"as\, adv. In a slanting manner; crosswise; obliquely; diagonally; as, to cut cloth bias.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
Acronym Finder - Cite This Source - Share This

BIAS

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