alternation

Noun

WordNet 3.0

Noun (1)

  1. successive change from one thing or state to another and back again“a trill is a rapid alternation between the two notes”
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Webster's Dictionary (GCIDE)

Permutation \Per`mu*ta"tion\ (p[~e]r`m[-u]"t[=a]"sn[u^]n), n. [L. permutatio: cf. F. permutation. See Permute.]

1.The act of permuting; exchange of the thing for another; mutual transference; interchange. [1913 Webster]

The violent convulsions and permutations that have been made in property.— Burke.[1913 Webster]

2.(Math.) (a) The arrangement of any determinate number of things, as units, objects, letters, etc., in all possible orders, one after the other; -- called also alternation. Cf. Combination, n., 4. (b) Any one of such possible arrangements. [1913 Webster]

3.(Law) Barter; exchange. [1913 Webster]

Permutation lock, a lock in which the parts can be transposed or shifted, so as to require different arrangements of the tumblers on different occasions of unlocking. [1913 Webster]

Alternation \Al`ter*na"tion\, n. [L. alternatio: cf. F. alternation.]

1.The reciprocal succession of things in time or place; the act of following and being followed by turns; alternate succession, performance, or occurrence; as, the alternation of day and night, cold and heat, summer and winter, hope and fear. [1913 Webster]

2.(Math.) Permutation. [1913 Webster]

3.The response of the congregation speaking alternately with the minister. --Mason. [1913 Webster]

Alternation of generation. See under Generation. [1913 Webster]

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