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subtraction |
3 definitions found From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Subtraction \Sub*trac"tion\, n. [L. subtractio a drawing back See {Subtract}, and cf {Substraction}.] 1. The act or operation of subtracting or taking away a part 2. (Math.) The taking of a lesser number or quantity from a greater of the same kind or denomination; an operation for finding the difference between two numbers or quantities. 3. (Law) The withdrawing or withholding from a person of some right to which he is entitled by law. Note: Thus the subtraction of conjugal rights is when either the husband or wife withdraws from the other and lives separate without sufficient reason. The subtraction of a legacy is the withholding or detailing of it from the legatee by the executor. In like manner, the withholding of any service, rent, duty, or custom, is a subtraction, for which the law gives a remedy. --Blackstone. From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Compound \Com"pound\, a. [OE. compouned, p. p. of compounen See {Compound}, v. t.] Composed of two or more elements, ingredients, parts produced by the union of several ingredients, parts or things composite; as a compound word Compound substances are made up of two or more simple substances. --I. Watts. {Compound addition}, {subtraction}, {multiplication}, {division} (Arith.), the addition, subtraction, etc., of compound numbers. {Compound crystal} (Crystallog.), a twin crystal, or one seeming to be made up of two or more crystals combined according to regular laws of composition. {Compound engine} (Mech.), a form of steam engine in which the steam that has been used in a high-pressure cylinder is made to do further service in a larger low-pressure cylinder, sometimes in several larger cylinders, successively. {Compound ether}. (Chem.) See under {Ether}. {Compound flower} (Bot.), a flower head resembling a single flower, but really composed of several florets inclosed in a common calyxlike involucre, as the sunflower or dandelion. {Compound fraction}. (Math.) See {Fraction}. {Compound fracture}. See {Fracture}. {Compound householder}, a householder who compounds or arranges with his landlord that his rates shall be included in his rents. [Eng.] {Compound interest}. See {Interest}. {Compound larceny}. (Law) See {Larceny}. {Compound leaf} (Bot.), a leaf having two or more separate blades or leaflets on a common leafstalk. {Compound microscope}. See {Microscope}. {Compound motion}. See {Motion}. {Compound number} (Math.), one constructed according to a varying scale of denomination; as 3 cwt., 1 qr., 5 lb.; -- called also {denominate number}. {Compound pier} (Arch.), a clustered column. {Compound quantity} (Alg.), a quantity composed of two or more simple quantities or terms, connected by the sign + (plus) or - (minus). Thus a + b - c, and bb - b, are compound quantities. {Compound radical}. (Chem.) See {Radical}. {Compound ratio} (Math.), the product of two or more ratios; thus ab:cd is a ratio compounded of the simple ratios a:c and b:d. {Compound rest} (Mech.), the tool carriage of an engine lathe. {Compound screw} (Mech.), a screw having on the same axis two or more screws with different pitch (a differential screw), or running in different directions (a right and left screw). {Compound time} (Mus.), that in which two or more simple measures are combined in one as 6-8 time is the joining of two measures of 3-8 time. {Compound word}, a word composed of two or more words specifically, two or more words joined together by a hyphen. From WordNet r 1.6 [wn]: subtraction n 1: an arithmetic operation in which the difference between two numbers is calculated; "the subtraction of three from four leaves one"; "four minus three equals one" [syn: {minus}] 2: the act of subtracting (removing a part from the whole); "he complained about the subtraction of money from their paychecks" [syn: {deduction}] [ant: {addition}]
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