different between length vs portion
length
English
Etymology
From Middle English lengthe, from Old English lengþu (“longness; length”), from Proto-West Germanic *langiþu, from Proto-Germanic *langiþ?, equivalent to long +? -th. Cognate with Scots lenth, lainth (“length”), Saterland Frisian Loangte (“length”), West Frisian lingte, langte (“length”), Dutch lengte (“length”), German Low German Längde, Längd, Längte, Längt (“length”), Danish længde (“length”), Swedish längd (“length”), Icelandic lengd (“length”).
Pronunciation
- (Received Pronunciation, General American) enPR: l?ng(k)th, l?n(t)th, IPA(key): /l??(k)?/, /l?n(t)?/
- Rhymes: -??k?, -???, -?nt?, -?n?
Noun
length (countable and uncountable, plural lengths)
- The distance measured along the longest dimension of an object.
- Duration.
- 1941, Robert Frost, The Gift Outright
- Happiness makes up in height for what it lacks in length.
- 1941, Robert Frost, The Gift Outright
- (horse racing) The length of a horse, used to indicate the distance between horses at the end of a race.
- (mathematics) Distance between the two ends of a line segment.
- (cricket) The distance down the pitch that the ball bounces on its way to the batsman.
- (figuratively) Total extent.
- Part of something that is long; a physical piece of something.
- (theater) A unit of script length, comprising 42 lines.
- 1890, Henry Austin, Address of Henry Austin Before the Second Nationalist Club (page 38)
- […] open your book of the play, which you have previously carefully perused, and at the same time marked with the proper calls, as thus: a length (or 42 lines) before an entrance, with a pen make a figure on the margin, […]
- 1960, J. L. Hodgkinson, ?Rex Pogson, The Early Manchester Theatre (page 45)
- The boy was engaged to write out parts at a penny a length (42 lines) for Chetwood, who then charged the manager, […]
- 1890, Henry Austin, Address of Henry Austin Before the Second Nationalist Club (page 38)
Derived terms
Translations
Verb
length (third-person singular simple present lengths, present participle lengthing, simple past and past participle lengthed)
- (obsolete) To lengthen.
- 1599, William Shakespeare, The Passionate Pilgrim, XIV. 30:
- Pack night, peep day; good day, of night now borrow: / Short night, to-night, and length thyself to-morrow.
- 1552, Richard Huloet, "Ladies of Destinie" in Abecedarium Anglico-Latinum
- Was never man such favour could off atall ladies fynde, To cause them lengthe or shorte the day which they to hym assynde.
- a. 1608, Thomas Sackville, Allegorical Personages described in Hell
- [He] knows full well life doth but length his pain.
- 1599, William Shakespeare, The Passionate Pilgrim, XIV. 30:
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portion
English
Etymology
From Middle English porcioun, borrowed from Old French porcion, from Latin portio (“a share, part, portion, relation, proportion”), akin to pars (“part”); see part. Compare proportion.
Pronunciation
- (General American) IPA(key): /?p????n/
- (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /?p????n/
- (Scotland, Ireland, other varieties without the horse–hoarse merger) IPA(key): /?po????n/, /?po????n/, /?po???n/
- Rhymes: -??(?)??n
Noun
portion (plural portions)
- An allocated amount.
- That which is divided off or separated, as a part from a whole; a separated part of anything.
- One's fate; lot.
- Man's portion is to die and rise again.
- The part of an estate given or falling to a child or heir; an inheritance.
- A wife's fortune; a dowry.
- 1613, William Shakespeare, The Two Noble Kinsmen, V. iv. 31:
- Commend me to her, and to piece her portion / Tender her this.
- 1613, William Shakespeare, The Two Noble Kinsmen, V. iv. 31:
Usage notes
Relatively formal, compared to the more informal part or more concrete and casual piece. For example, “part of the money” (both informal) but “portion of the proceeds” (both formal).
Synonyms
- part
- piece
Derived terms
- portionless
- proportion
- underportion
Translations
Verb
portion (third-person singular simple present portions, present participle portioning, simple past and past participle portioned)
- (transitive) To divide into amounts, as for allocation to specific purposes.
- (transitive) To endow with a portion or inheritance.
- 1733, Alexander Pope, Epistle to Bathurst
- Him portioned maids, apprenticed orphans, blest.
- 1733, Alexander Pope, Epistle to Bathurst
Translations
Usage notes
- Particularly used as portion out.
- Relatively formal, compared to the more informal divide, divide up, or the casual divvy, divvy up.
Synonyms
- apportion
- divide, divide up
- divvy, divvy up
Derived terms
- portion off
- portion out
Further reading
- portion in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
- portion in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
French
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin portionem (accusative singular of portio).
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /p??.sj??/
Noun
portion f (plural portions)
- portion
Descendants
- ? Turkish: porsiyon
Further reading
- “portion” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).
Anagrams
- potiron
Interlingua
Noun
portion (plural portiones)
- portion
Swedish
Pronunciation
Noun
portion c
- serving, an helping of food
Declension
Related terms
- portionera
portion From the web:
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- what portions should i eat
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