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dimension - 9 dictionary results

di⋅men⋅sion

  [di-men-shuhn, dahy-]
Use dimension in a Sentence
–noun
1. Mathematics.
a. a property of space; extension in a given direction: A straight line has one dimension, a parallelogram has two dimensions, and a parallelepiped has three dimensions.
b. the generalization of this property to spaces with curvilinear extension, as the surface of a sphere.
c. the generalization of this property to vector spaces and to Hilbert space.
d. the generalization of this property to fractals, which can have dimensions that are noninteger real numbers.
e. extension in time: Space-time has three dimensions of space and one of time.
2. Usually, dimensions.
a. measurement in length, width, and thickness.
b. scope; importance: the dimensions of a problem.
3. unit (def. 6).
4. magnitude; size: Matter has dimension.
5. Topology.
a. a magnitude that, independently or in conjunction with other such magnitudes, serves to define the location of an element within a given set, as of a point on a line, an object in a space, or an event in space-time.
b. the number of elements in a finite basis of a given vector space.
6. Physics. any of a set of basic kinds of quantity, as mass, length, and time, in terms of which all other kinds of quantity can be expressed; usually denoted by capital letters, with appropriate exponents, placed in brackets: The dimensions of velocity are [LT−1]. Compare dimensional analysis.
7. dimensions, Informal. the measurements of a woman's bust, waist, and hips, in that order: The chorus girl's dimensions were 38-24-36.
8. dimension lumber.
–verb (used with object)
9. to shape or fashion to the desired dimensions: Dimension the shelves so that they fit securely into the cabinet.
10. to indicate the dimensions of an item, area, etc., on (a sketch or drawing).
Origin:
1375–1425; late ME dimensioun (< AF) < L dīmēnsiōn- (s. of dīmēnsiō) a measuring, equiv. to dīmēns(us) measured out (ptp. of dīmētīrī, equiv. to dī- di- 2 + mētīrī to measure) + -iōn- -ion

Related forms:
di⋅men⋅sion⋅al, adjective
di⋅men⋅sion⋅al⋅i⋅ty, noun
di⋅men⋅sion⋅al⋅ly, adverb
di⋅men⋅sion⋅less, adjective

Synonyms:
2b. range, extent, magnitude.

dimension lumber

 
–noun
1. building lumber cut to standard or specified sizes.
2. sawed lumber from 2 to 5 in. (5 to 12.7 cm) thick and from 4 to 12 in. (10.2 to 30.5 cm) wide.
Also called dimension.

Origin:
1870–75

u⋅nit

  [yoo-nit]
–noun
1. a single thing or person.
2. any group of things or persons regarded as an entity: They formed a cohesive unit.
3. one of the individuals or groups that together constitute a whole; one of the parts or elements into which a whole may be divided or analyzed.
4. one of a number of things, organizations, etc., identical or equivalent in function or form: a rental unit; a unit of rolling stock.
5. any magnitude regarded as an independent whole; a single, indivisible entity.
6. Also called dimension. any specified amount of a quantity, as of length, volume, force, momentum, or time, by comparison with which any other quantity of the same kind is measured or estimated.
7. the least positive integer; one.
8. Also called unit's place.
a. (in a mixed number) the position of the first digit to the left of the decimal point.
b. (in a whole number) the position of the first digit from the right of the decimal point.
9. a machine, part, or system of machines having a specified purpose; apparatus: a heating unit.
10. Education. a division of instruction centering on a single theme.
11. Military. an organized body of soldiers, varying in size and constituting a subdivision of a larger body.
12. Medicine/Medical.
a. the measured amount of a substance necessary to cause a certain effect; a clinical quantity used when a substance cannot be readily isolated in pure form and its activity determined directly.
b. the amount necessary to cause a specific effect upon a specific animal or upon animal tissues.
13. Mathematics.
a. an identity element.
b. an element in a group, ring, etc., that possesses an inverse.
Origin:
1570; coined by John Dee as a trans. of Gk mónas (previously rendered as unity); perh. influenced by digit
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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di·men·sion   (dĭ-měn'shən, dī-)   
n.  
  1. A measure of spatial extent, especially width, height, or length.
  2. Extent or magnitude; scope. Often used in the plural: a problem of alarming dimensions.
  3. Aspect; element: "He's a good newsman, and he has that extra dimension" (William S. Paley).
  4. Mathematics
    1. The least number of independent coordinates required to specify uniquely the points in a space.
    2. The range of such a coordinate.
  5. Physics A physical property, such as mass, length, time, or a combination thereof, regarded as a fundamental measure or as one of a set of fundamental measures of a physical quantity: Velocity has the dimensions of length divided by time.
tr.v.   di·men·sioned, di·men·sion·ing, di·men·sions
  1. To cut or shape to specified dimensions.
  2. To mark with specified dimensions.

[Middle English dimensioun, from Latin dīmēnsiō, dīmēnsiōn-, extent, from dīmēnsus, past participle of dīmētīrī, to measure out : dī-, dis-, dis- + mētīrī, to measure; see mē-2 in Indo-European roots.]
di·men'sion·al adj., di·men'sion·al'i·ty (-shə-nāl'ĭ-tē) n., di·men'sion·al·ly adv., di·men'sion·less adj.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Dimension

Di*men"sion\, n. [L. dimensio, fr. dimensus, p. p. of dimetiri to measure out; di- = dis- + metiri to measure: cf. F. dimension. See Measure.]

1. Measure in a single line, as length, breadth, height, thickness, or circumference; extension; measurement; -- usually, in the plural, measure in length and breadth, or in length, breadth, and thickness; extent; size; as, the dimensions of a room, or of a ship; the dimensions of a farm, of a kingdom.

Gentlemen of more than ordinary dimensions. --W. Irving.

Space of dimension, extension that has length but no breadth or thickness; a straight or curved line.

Space of two dimensions, extension which has length and breadth, but no thickness; a plane or curved surface.

Space of three dimensions, extension which has length, breadth, and thickness; a solid.

Space of four dimensions, an imaginary kind of extension, which is assumed to have length, breadth, thickness, and also a fourth imaginary dimension. Space of five or six, or more dimensions is also sometimes assumed in mathematics.

2. Extent; reach; scope; importance; as, a project of large dimensions.

3. (Math.) The degree of manifoldness of a quantity; as, time is quantity having one dimension; volume has three dimensions, relative to extension.

4. (Alg.) A literal factor, as numbered in characterizing a term. The term dimensions forms with the cardinal numbers a phrase equivalent to degree with the ordinal; thus, a^2b^2c is a term of five dimensions, or of the fifth degree.

5. pl. (Phys.) The manifoldness with which the fundamental units of time, length, and mass are involved in determining the units of other physical quantities.

Note: Thus, since the unit of velocity varies directly as the unit of length and inversely as the unit of time, the dimensions of velocity are said to be length [divby] time; the dimensions of work are mass [times] (length)^2 [divby] (time)^2; the dimensions of density are mass [divby] (length)^3.

Dimension lumber, Dimension scantling, or Dimension stock (Carp.), lumber for building, etc., cut to the sizes usually in demand, or to special sizes as ordered.

Dimension stone, stone delivered from the quarry rough, but brought to such sizes as are requisite for cutting to dimensions given.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Language Translation for : dimension
Spanish: dimensión,
German: das Maß,
Japanese: 寸法
More Translations »

dimension 
1413, from L. dimensionem (nom. dimensio), from stem of dimetri "to measure out," from dis- + metri "to measure."
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Main Entry: di·men·sion
Pronunciation: d&-'men-ch&n also dI-
Function: noun
: measure in one direction; specifically : one of three or four coordinates determining a position in space or space and time
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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dimension di·men·sion (dĭ-měn'shən, dī-)
n.

  1. A measure of spatial extent, especially width, height, or length.
  2. Scope or magnitude.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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dimension   (dĭ-měn'shən)  Pronunciation Key 
    1. Any one of the three physical or spatial properties of length, area, and volume. In geometry, a point is said to have zero dimension; a figure having only length, such as a line, has one dimension; a plane or surface, two dimensions; and a figure having volume, three dimensions. The fourth dimension is often said to be time, as in the theory of General Relativity. Higher dimensions can be dealt with mathematically but cannot be represented visually.
    2. The measurement of a length, width, or thickness.
  2. A unit, such as mass, time, or charge, associated with a physical quantity and used as the basis for other measurements, such as acceleration.

The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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