cluster

Noun · Verb

Synonyms: bunch clump clustering constellate flock bunch up bundle

WordNet 3.0

Noun (1)

a grouping of a number of similar things“a bunch of trees”“a cluster of admirers”Synonyms: bunch clump clustering

Verb (2)

come together as in a cluster or flock“The poets constellate in this town every summer”Synonyms: constellate flock clump
gather or cause to gather into a cluster“She bunched her fingers into a fist”Synonyms: bunch bunch up bundle clump

Webster's Dictionary (GCIDE)

Cluster \Clus"ter\, v. t. To collect into a cluster or clusters; to gather into a bunch or close body. [1913 Webster]

Not less the bee would range her cells, . . . The foxglove cluster dappled bells. --Tennyson. [1913 Webster]

Or from the forest falls the clustered snow. --Thomson. [1913 Webster]

Clustered column (Arch.), a column which is composed, or appears to be composed, of several columns collected together. [1913 Webster]

Cluster \Clus"ter\ (kl[u^]s"t[~e]r), n. [AS. cluster, clyster; cf. LG. kluster (also Sw. & Dan. klase a cluster of grapes, D. klissen to be entangled?.)]

1.A number of things of the same kind growing together; a bunch. [1913 Webster]

Her deeds were like great clusters of ripe grapes, Which load the bunches of the fruitful vine.— Spenser.[1913 Webster]

2.A number of similar things collected together or lying contiguous; a group; as, a cluster of islands. "Cluster of provinces." --Motley. [1913 Webster]

3.A number of individuals grouped together or collected in one place; a crowd; a mob. [1913 Webster]

As bees . . . Pour forth their populous youth about the hive In clusters.— Milton.[1913 Webster]

We loved him; but, like beasts And cowardly nobles, gave way unto your clusters, Who did hoot him out o' the city.— Shak.[1913 Webster]

Cluster \Clus"ter\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Clustered; p. pr. & vb. n. Clustering.] To grow in clusters or assemble in groups; to gather or unite in a cluster or clusters. [1913 Webster]

His sunny hair Cluster'd about his temples, like a god's. --Tennyson. [1913 Webster]

The princes of the country clustering together. --Foxe. [1913 Webster]

Free On-line Dictionary of Computing

cluster clustering

1.<architecture> Multiple servers providing the same service. The term may imply resilience to failure and/or some kind of load balancing between the servers. Compare RAIS.

2.<file system> An elementary unit of allocation of a disk made up of one or more physical blocks.

A file is made up of a whole number of possibly non-contiguous clusters. The cluster size is a tradeoff between space efficiency (the bigger is the cluster, the bigger is on the average the wasted space at the end of each file) and the length of the FAT.

(1996-11-04)