an assemblage or combination of things or parts forming a complex or unitary whole: a mountain system; a railroad system.
2.
any assemblage or set of correlated members: a system of currency; a system of shorthand characters.
3.
an ordered and comprehensive assemblage of facts, principles, doctrines, or the like in a particular field of knowledge or thought: a system of philosophy.
4.
a coordinated body of methods or a scheme or plan of procedure; organizational scheme: a system of government.
5.
any formulated, regular, or special method or plan of procedure: a system of marking, numbering, or measuring; a winning system at bridge.
6.
due method or orderly manner of arrangement or procedure: There is no system in his work.
7.
the world or universe.
8.
Astronomy.
a.
a number of heavenly bodies associated and acting together according to certain natural laws: the solar system.
b.
a hypothesis or theory of the disposition and arrangements of the heavenly bodies by which their phenomena, motions, changes, etc., are explained: the Ptolemaic system; the Copernican system.
9.
Biology.
a.
an assemblage of organs or related tissues concerned with the same function: the nervous system; the digestive system.
b.
the entire human or animal body considered as a functioning unit: an ingredient toxic to the system.
10.
one's psychological makeup, esp. with reference to desires or preoccupations: to get something out of one's system.
11.
a method or scheme of classification: the Linnean system of plants.
12.
(sometimes initial capital letter) the prevailing structure or organization of society, business, or politics or of society in general; establishment (usually prec. by the): to work within the system instead of trying to change it.
13.
Geology. a major division of rocks comprising sedimentary deposits and igneous masses formed during a single geologic period.
14.
Physical Chemistry. a combination of two or more phases, as a binary system, each of which consists of one or more substances, that is attaining or is in equilibrium.
15.
Computers. a working combination of hardware, software, and data communications devices.
16.
Checkers. either of the two groups of 16 playing squares on four alternate columns.
[Origin: 1610–20; < LL systéma < Gk sýstéma whole compounded of several parts, equiv. to sy-sy-+ sté- (var. s. of histánai to cause to stand; akin to L stāre to stand) + -ma n. suffix denoting result of action]
A group of interacting, interrelated, or interdependent elements forming a complex whole.
A functionally related group of elements, especially:
The human body regarded as a functional physiological unit.
An organism as a whole, especially with regard to its vital processes or functions.
A group of physiologically or anatomically complementary organs or parts: the nervous system; the skeletal system.
A group of interacting mechanical or electrical components.
A network of structures and channels, as for communication, travel, or distribution.
A network of related computer software, hardware, and data transmission devices.
An organized set of interrelated ideas or principles.
A social, economic, or political organizational form.
A naturally occurring group of objects or phenomena: the solar system.
A set of objects or phenomena grouped together for classification or analysis.
A condition of harmonious, orderly interaction.
An organized and coordinated method; a procedure. See Synonyms at method.
The prevailing social order; the establishment. Used with the: You can't beat the system.
[Late Latin systēma, systēmat-, from Greek sustēma, from sunistanai, to combine : sun-, syn- + histanai, set up, establish; see stā- in Indo-European roots.]
1619, "the whole creation, the universe," from L.L. systema "an arrangement, system," from Gk. systema "organized whole, body," from syn- "together" + root of histanai "cause to stand" from PIE base *sta- "to stand" (see stet). Meaning "set of correlated principles, facts, ideas, etc." first recorded 1638. Meaning "animal body as an organized whole, sum of the vital processes in an organism" is recorded from 1683; hence fig. phrase to get (something) out of one's system (1900). Computer sense of "group of related programs" is recorded from 1963. All systems go (1962) is from U.S. space program.
instrumentality that combines interrelated interacting artifacts designed to work as a coherent entity; "he bought a new stereo system"; "the system consists of a motor and a small computer"
2.
a group of independent but interrelated elements comprising a unified whole; "a vast system of production and distribution and consumption keep the country going"
3.
(physical chemistry) a sample of matter in which substances in different phases are in equilibrium; "in a static system oil cannot be replaced by water on a surface"; "a system generating hydrogen peroxide"
4.
a complex of methods or rules governing behavior; "they have to operate under a system they oppose"; "that language has a complex system for indicating gender"
5.
an organized structure for arranging or classifying; "he changed the arrangement of the topics"; "the facts were familiar but it was in the organization of them that he was original"; "he tried to understand their system of classification" [syn: arrangement]
6.
a group of physiologically or anatomically related organs or parts; "the body has a system of organs for digestion"
7.
a procedure or process for obtaining an objective; "they had to devise a system that did not depend on cooperation"
8.
the living body considered as made up of interdependent components forming a unified whole; "exercise helped him get the alcohol out of his system"
9.
an ordered manner; orderliness by virtue of being methodical and well organized; "his compulsive organization was not an endearing quality"; "we can't do it unless we establish some system around here" [syn: organization]
n. 1. The supervisor program or OS on a computer. 2. The entire computer system, including input/output devices, the supervisor program or OS, and possibly other software. 3. Any large-scale program. 4. Any method or algorithm. 5. `System hacker': one who hacks the system (in senses 1 and 2 only; for sense 3 one mentions the particular program: e.g., `LISP hacker')
Crys`tal*li*za"tion\ (kr[i^]s`tal*l[i^]*z[=a]"sh[u^]n), n. [Cf. F. cristallization.]1. (Chem. & Min.) The act or process by which a substance in solidifying assumes the form and structure of a crystal, or becomes crystallized. 2. The body formed by crystallizing; as, silver on precipitation forms arborescent crystallizations. Note: The systems of crystallization are the several classes to which the forms are mathematically referable. They are most simply described according to the relative lengths and inclinations of certain assumed lines called axes; but the real distinction is the degree of symmetry characterizing them. 1. The Isometric, or Monometric, system has the axes all equal, as in the cube, octahedron, etc. 2. The Tetragonal, or Dimetric, system has a varying vertical axis, while the lateral are equal, as in the right square prism. 3. The Orthorhombic, or Trimetric, system has the three axes unequal, as in the rectangular and rhombic prism. In this system, the lateral axes are called, respectively, macrodiagonal and brachydiagonal. -- The preceding are erect forms, the axes intersecting at right angles. The following are oblique. 4. The Monoclinic system, having one of the intersections oblique, as in the oblique rhombic prism. In this system, the lateral axes are called respectively, clinodiagonal and orthodiagonal. 5. The Triclinic system, having all the three intersections oblique, as in the oblique rhomboidal prism. There is also: 6. The Hexagonal system (one division of which is called Rhombohedral), in which there are three equal lateral axes, and a vertical axis of variable length, as in the hexagonal prism and the rhombohedron. Note: The Diclinic system, sometimes recognized, with two oblique intersections, is only a variety of the Triclinic.
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