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It is not only important, but, in a degree necessary, that the people of this country, should have an American Dictionary of the English language; for, although the body of the language is the same as in England, and it is desirable to perpetuate that sameness, yet some differences must exist. Language is the expression of ideas; and if the people of one country cannot preserve an identity of ideas, they cannot retain an identity of language. |
PROPORTIONAL, a. Having a due comparative relation; being in suitable proportion or degree; as, the parts of an edifice are proportional. In pharmacy, medicines are compounded of certain proportional quantities of ingredients. The velocity of a moving body is proportional to the impelling force, when the quantity of matter is given; its momentum is proportional to the quantity of matter it contains,when its velocity is given.
Proportional, in chimistry, a term employed in the theory of definite proportions, to denote the same as the weight of an atom or a prime. [See Prime.]
Proportionals, in geometry, are quantities, either linear or numeral, which bear the same ratio or relation to each other.
Having a due proportion, or comparative
relation; being in suitable proportion or degree; as, the parts of an
edifice are proportional.
Milton. Relating to, or securing, proportion.
Hutton. Constituting a proportion;
having the same, or a constant, ratio; as, proportional
quantities; momentum is proportional to quantity of
matter.
Proportional logarithms, logistic logarithms. See under Logistic. -- Proportional scale, a scale on which are marked parts proportional to the logarithms of the natural numbers; a logarithmic scale. -- Proportional scales, compasses, dividers, etc. (Draughting), instruments used in making copies of drawings, or drawings of objects, on an enlarged or reduced scale. Any number or quantity in a proportion; as, a mean
proportional.
The combining weight or
equivalent of an element.
[Obs.] | ||||||||