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variationmore about variation

variation

 

  2  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Variation  \Va`ri*a"tion\,  n.  [OE.  variatioun,  F.  variation,  L. 
  variatio.  See  {Vary}.] 
  1.  The  act  of  varying;  a  partial  change  in  the  form 
  position,  state,  or  qualities  of  a  thing  modification; 
  alternation;  mutation;  diversity;  deviation;  as  a 
  variation  of  color  in  different  lights;  a  variation  in 
  size;  variation  of  language. 
 
  The  essences  of  things  are  conceived  not  capable  of 
  any  such  variation.  --Locke. 
 
  2.  Extent  to  which  a  thing  varies;  amount  of  departure  from  a 
  position  or  state;  amount  or  rate  of  change. 
 
  3.  (Gram.)  Change  of  termination  of  words  as  in  declension, 
  conjugation,  derivation,  etc 
 
  4.  (Mus.)  Repetition  of  a  theme  or  melody  with  fanciful 
  embellishments  or  modifications,  in  time,  tune,  or 
  harmony,  or  sometimes  change  of  key;  the  presentation  of  a 
  musical  thought  in  new  and  varied  aspects,  yet  so  that  the 
  essential  features  of  the  original  shall  still  preserve 
  their  identity. 
 
  5.  (Alg.)  One  of  the  different  arrangements  which  can  be  made 
  of  any  number  of  quantities  taking  a  certain  number  of 
  them  together. 
 
  {Annual  variation}  (Astron.),  the  yearly  change  in  the  right 
  ascension  or  declination  of  a  star,  produced  by  the 
  combined  effects  of  the  precession  of  the  equinoxes  and 
  the  proper  motion  of  the  star. 
 
  {Calculus  of  variations}.  See  under  {Calculus}. 
 
  {Variation  compass}.  See  under  {Compass}. 
 
  {Variation  of  the  moon}  (Astron.),  an  inequality  of  the 
  moon's  motion,  depending  on  the  angular  distance  of  the 
  moon  from  the  sun.  It  is  greater  at  the  octants,  and  zero 
  at  the  quadratures. 
 
  {Variation  of  the  needle}  (Geog.  &  Naut.),  the  angle  included 
  between  the  true  and  magnetic  meridians  of  a  place  the 
  deviation  of  the  direction  of  a  magnetic  needle  from  the 
  true  north  and  south  line  --  called  also  {declination  of 
  the  needle}. 
 
  Syn:  Change;  vicissitude;  variety;  deviation. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  variation 
  n  1:  an  instance  of  change;  the  rate  or  magnitude  of  change  [syn: 
  {fluctuation}] 
  2:  an  activity  that  varies  from  a  norm  or  standard;  "any 
  variation  in  his  routine  was  immediately  reported"  [syn:  {variance}] 
  3:  a  repetition  of  a  musical  theme  in  which  it  is  modified  or 
  embellished 
  4:  something  a  little  different  from  others  of  the  same  type 
  "an  experimental  version  of  the  night  fighter";  "an  emery 
  wheel  is  a  modern  variant  of  the  grindstone"  [syn:  {version}, 
  {variant}] 
  5:  something  that  deviates  from  a  norm  or  standard




more about variation