<HEAD><TITLE>DICTIONARY: function - fundament</TITLE></HEAD>
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<A NAME="function">
<B>function, </B>noun, verb.<DL COMPACT><DD><I>noun </I> <B>1a. </B>proper work; normal action or use; purpose. <BR> <I>Ex. The function of the stomach is to help digest food. The great general functions of plant parts ... are conduction, support, storage, protection, and secretion (Fred W. Emerson).</I> <DD><B> b. </B>a duty or office; employment. (SYN) province, task. <DD><B> 2. </B>a formal public or social gathering for some purpose. <BR> <I>Ex. The hotel ballroom is often used for weddings, anniversaries, and other functions. He ... set out to attend the last gathering of the season at Valleys House, a function ... almost perfectly political (John Galsworthy).</I> <DD><B> 3a. </B>(Mathematics.) a quantity whose value depends on the value given to one or more related quantities. <BR> <I>Ex. The area of a circle is a function of its radius; as the radius increases so does the area.</I> <DD><B> b. </B>anything likened to a mathematical function. <DD><B> 4. </B>(Grammar.) the way in which a word or phrase is used in a sentence. <DD><I>v.i. </I> to work; act; perform a function or one's functions. <BR> <I>Ex. One of the older students can function as teacher. This old fountain pen does not function very well.</I> (SYN) operate. </DL>
<A NAME="functional">
<B>functional, </B>adjective, noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><I>adj. </I> <B>1. </B>of a function or functions. <BR> <I>Ex. His mathematical work has been concerned with ... functional analysis (Scientific American).</I> <DD><B> 2a. </B>having a function; carrying out a function; working; acting. <BR> <I>Ex. The functional wings of an insect are those used for flying.</I> <DD><B> b. </B>having function as the primary basis of design. <BR> <I>Ex. functional furniture, a functional support of a building.</I> <DD><B> 3. </B>useful in many ways; adaptable. <DD><B> 4. </B>(Medicine.) of or having to do with the function of an organ rather than its structure; having no apparent organic cause. <BR> <I>Ex. functional psychosis, functional heart murmur. Functional disease involves changes of activity, but without change in the body, as in such mental diseases as hysteria (Justina H. Hill).</I> <DD><I>noun </I> (Mathematics.) a function whose value depends on all the values assumed by another function. adv. <B>functionally.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="functionalanalysis">
<B>functional analysis,</B><DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>(Mathematics.) the study or analysis of functionals. <DD><B> 2. </B>(Linguistics.) the analysis of the elements in a sentence or phrase according to their function rather than form. </DL>
<A NAME="functionalcalculus">
<B>functional calculus,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> the branch of symbolic logic that deals with propositional functions and relations and with quantifiers; predicate calculus. </DL>
<A NAME="functionalgroup">
<B>functional group,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> (Chemistry.) a group of atoms responsible for the common properties of certain compounds, especially organic compounds, such as the carboxyl group present in organic acids. </DL>
<A NAME="functionalilliteracy">
<B>functional illiteracy,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> the inability to read or write well enough to perform any but the most basic tasks. </DL>
<A NAME="functionalilliterate">
<B>functional illiterate,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> a person having the basic skills of reading or writing, but little ability in using those skills. </DL>
<A NAME="functionalism">
<B>functionalism, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>regard for the function and purpose of something, such as a building or piece of furniture, as the primary factor in regulating its design. <DD><B> 2. </B>(Anthropology.) the ways in which different parts of a culture are interrelated. </DL>
<A NAME="functionalist">
<B>functionalist, </B>noun, adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD><I>noun </I> <B>1. </B>a person who believes that the function and purpose of a building, piece of furniture, or device should determine its style. <DD><B> 2. </B>a person who builds or designs functional buildings, furniture, or devices. <DD><I>adj. </I> <B>=functionalistic.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="functionalistic">
<B>functionalistic, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> of or having to do with functionalism. <BR> <I>Ex. He disagreed with the functionalistic American's plan to use the Stoa as a museum (Time).</I> </DL>
<A NAME="functionality">
<B>functionality, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> functional quality or condition. </DL>
<A NAME="functionalization">
<B>functionalization, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>the act or process of dividing into functions. <BR> <I>Ex. Mr. Healey ... has started the process of greater functionalization in his department by giving his three Service Ministers new responsibilities (London Times).</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>the result of such dividing. <BR> <I>Ex. Functionalization has brought with it basic changes in the structure of industrial organization (R. H. Lansburgh).</I> </DL>
<A NAME="functionalshift">
<B>functional shift,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> (Linguistics.) a change in the function of a word or phrase, as from one part of speech to another. (Examples:) He is an <I>author</I> (noun); He <I>authored</I> a book (verb). To <I>transplant</I> flowers (verb); a heart <I>transplant</I> (noun). The workers <I>walked out</I> (verb phrase); The workers staged a <I>walkout</I> (noun). </DL>
<B>functionary, </B>noun, pl. <B>-aries,</B> adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD><I>noun </I> a person who has certain functions or duties to perform; an official. <BR> <I>Ex. a government functionary, a church functionary.</I> <DD><I>adj. </I> official. </DL>
<B>functionless, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> having no function. </DL>
<A NAME="functionword">
<B>function word,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> a word that expresses mainly a relationship between the grammatical elements of a sentence. Prepositions, conjunctions, and auxiliary verbs are function words. </DL>
<A NAME="functusofficio">
<B>functus officio,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> having fulfilled one's office; out of office. </DL>
<A NAME="fund">
<B>fund, </B>noun, verb.<DL COMPACT><DD><I>noun </I> <B>1. </B>a sum of money set aside for a special purpose. <BR> <I>Ex. The school has a library fund of $2000 to buy books.</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>a stock or store ready for use; supply; a permanent stock that can be drawn upon. <BR> <I>Ex. There is a fund of information in our new library.</I> <DD><I>v.t. </I> <B>1. </B>to set aside a sum of money to pay the interest on (a debt). <DD><B> 2. </B>to change (a debt) from a short term to a long term, at a fixed rate of interest. <DD><B> 3. </B>to put into a fund or store; collect; store up. <DD><B> 4. </B>to finance. <BR> <I>Ex. The centers are to be funded jointly by the Office and sponsoring colleges, universities, or State departments of education (J. N. Hook).</I> <BR><I>expr. <B>funds,</B> <DD><B> a. </B>money ready for use. </I> <I>Ex. We took $10 from the club's funds to buy a flag. Their funds were so low in 1917 that Lenin tried to get his brother-in-law in Russia to arrange for the publication of a "pedagogical encyclopedia" (Edmund Wilson).</I> <DD><B> b. </B>money. <BR> <I>Ex. If you wouldn't use up your entire allowance, you wouldn't always be low in funds.</I> <BR><I>expr. <B>the</B> (<B>public</B>) <B>funds,</B> </I>(British.) the stock of the national debt, considered as a mode of investment. <BR> <I>Ex. Look what the funds were on the 1st of March (Thackeray).</I> adj. <B>fundable.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="fundament">
<B>fundament, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>foundation; basis. <BR> <I>Ex. Life and liberty should be no dearer to us than their fundament, the welfare of our people (Wall Street Journal).</I> <DD><B> 2. </B><B>=buttocks.</B> <DD><B> 3. </B><B>=anus.</B> <DD><B> 4. </B>(Obsolete.) the base of a wall, building, or other structure. </DL>
<A NAME="fundamental">
<B>fundamental, </B>adjective, noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><I>adj. </I> <B>1. </B>of or forming a foundation or basis; essential. <BR> <I>Ex. Reading is a fundamental skill. The ideas of strict law and order were fundamental to all his political teaching (George Eliot).</I> (SYN) basic, indispensable, underlying, elementary. <DD><B> 2. </B>(Music.) <DD><B> a. </B>having to do with the lowest note of a chord. <DD><B> b. </B>designating a chord of which the root is the lowest note. <DD><B> c. </B>having to do with the first note or tone of an overtone series. <DD><B> 3. </B>(Physics.) of or denoting a fundamental. <DD><I>noun </I> <B>1. </B>something fundamental; essential part. <BR> <I>Ex. the fundamentals of grammar. Every year thousands of teen-agers learn the fundamentals of our American economy (Newsweek).</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>(Music.) <DD><B> a. </B><B>=fundamental tone.</B> <DD><B> b. </B><B>=fundamental bass.</B> <DD><B> 3. </B>(Physics.) that component of a wave which has the greatest wave length or lowest frequency. adv. <B>fundamentally.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="fundamentalbass">
<B>fundamental bass,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> (Music.) a low note or series of notes forming the root or roots of a chord or succession of chords. </DL>
<A NAME="fundamentalism">
<B>fundamentalism, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>the belief that the words of the Bible were inspired by God and should be believed and followed literally. <DD><B> 2. </B>Often, <B>Fundamentalism.</B> the movement in certain Protestant churches in the United States upholding this belief. <DD><B> 3. </B>the position or status of believing in this doctrine. </DL>
<A NAME="fundamentalist">
<B>fundamentalist, </B>noun, adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD><I>noun </I> a person who believes in fundamentalism. Fundamentalists refuse to accept any teaching which conflicts with the literal interpretation of the Bible. <DD><I>adj. </I> of or having to do with fundamentalism. </DL>
<A NAME="fundamentalistic">
<B>fundamentalistic, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> adhering to fundamentalism. </DL>
<A NAME="fundamentality">
<B>fundamentality, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> the quality of being fundamental. </DL>
<B>fundamental tone,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> (Music.) <DD><B> 1. </B>the lowest note of a chord. <DD><B> 2. </B>the first or primary tone of an overtone series. </DL>
<A NAME="fundamentalunit">
<B>fundamental unit,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> (Physics.) one of the independent units (especially those of mass, length, and time) taken as a basis for a system of units. <BR> <I>Ex. The centimeter is the fundamental unit of length in the centimeter-gram-second system.</I> </DL>
