[syn: assign, allot, portion]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Portion \Por"tion\, n. [F., from L. portio, akin to pars,
partis, a part. See Part, n.]
1. That which is divided off or separated, as a part from a
whole; a separated part of anything.
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2. A part considered by itself, though not actually cut off
or separated from the whole.
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These are parts of his ways; but how little a
portion is heard of him! --Job xxvi.
14.
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Portions and parcels of the dreadful past.
--Tennyson.
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3. A part assigned; allotment; share; fate.
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The lord of that servant . . . will appoint him his
portion with the unbelievers. --Luke xii.
46.
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Man's portion is to die and rise again. --Keble.
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4. The part of an estate given to a child or heir, or
descending to him by law, and distributed to him in the
settlement of the estate; an inheritance.
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Give me the portion of goods that falleth to me.
--Luke xv. 12.
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5. A wife's fortune; a dowry. --Shak.
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Syn: Division; share; parcel; quantity; allotment; dividend.
Usage: Portion, Part. Part is generic, having a simple
reference to some whole. Portion has the additional
idea of such a division as bears reference to an
individual, or is allotted to some object; as, a
portion of one's time; a portion of Scripture.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Portion \Por"tion\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Portioned; p. pr. &
vb. n. Portioning.]
1. To separate or divide into portions or shares; to parcel;
to distribute.
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And portion to his tribes the wide domain. --Pope.
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2. To endow with a portion or inheritance.
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Him portioned maids, apprenticed orphans, blest.
--Pope.
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WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
portion
n 1: something determined in relation to something that includes
it; "he wanted to feel a part of something bigger than
himself"; "I read a portion of the manuscript"; "the
smaller component is hard to reach"; "the animal
constituent of plankton" [syn: part, portion,
component part, component, constituent]
2: something less than the whole of a human artifact; "the rear
part of the house"; "glue the two parts together" [syn:
part, portion]
3: the allotment of some amount by dividing something; "death
gets more than its share of attention from theologians" [syn:
parcel, portion, share]
4: assets belonging to or due to or contributed by an individual
person or group; "he wanted his share in cash" [syn: share,
portion, part, percentage]
5: your overall circumstances or condition in life (including
everything that happens to you); "whatever my fortune may
be"; "deserved a better fate"; "has a happy lot"; "the luck
of the Irish"; "a victim of circumstances"; "success that was
her portion" [syn: fortune, destiny, fate, luck,
lot, circumstances, portion]
6: money or property brought by a woman to her husband at
marriage [syn: dowry, dowery, dower, portion]
7: an individual quantity of food or drink taken as part of a
meal; "the helpings were all small"; "his portion was larger
than hers"; "there's enough for two servings each" [syn:
helping, portion, serving]
v 1: give out; "We were assigned new uniforms" [syn: assign,
allot, portion]