Search Results
Advanced Search
List Builder
Random Word

portion

If a friend asks you to invest in her new start-up in exchange for a portion, or part, of the company’s profits, consider the agreement carefully. Remember, a portion of zero is still zero.

Portion can also refer to the amount of food provided for each person at a meal. If you’re reviewing a restaurant, for example, you'll want to take note of the portion size. In addition, portion can be used as a verb meaning “divide and distribute something.” At birthday parties, we find it odd that the person celebrating her birthday is expected to perform the annoying task of portioning her own cake (perhaps it’s so she can claim the biggest portion).

PRIMARY MEANINGS OF: portion

1	n v	something determined in relation to something that includes it give out
2	n	your overall circumstances or condition in life (including everything that happens to you)

FULL DEFINITIONS OF: portion

n something determined in relation to something that includes it

“I read a portion of the manuscript”

Synonyms:: component, component part, constituent, part

Types:: show 44 types...; hide 44 types...; substance
the real physical matter of which a person or thing consists; language unit, linguistic unit
one of the natural units into which linguistic messages can be analyzed; item, point
a distinct part that can be specified separately in a group of things that could be enumerated on a list; butt
the part of a plant from which the roots spring or the part of a stalk or trunk nearest the roots; base, basis
the most important or necessary part of something; detail, item, particular
a small part that can be considered separately from the whole; unit
an individual or group or structure or other entity regarded as a structural or functional constituent of a whole; member
anything that belongs to a set or class; balance, remainder, residual, residue, residuum, rest
something left after other parts have been taken away; subpart
a part of a part; body substance
the substance of the body; living substance, protoplasm
the substance of a living cell (including cytoplasm and nucleus); discourse
extended verbal expression in speech or writing; word
a unit of language that native speakers can identify; syllable
a unit of spoken language larger than a phoneme; lexeme
a minimal unit (as a word or stem) in the lexicon of a language; `go' and `went' and `gone' and `going' are all members of the English lexeme `go'; morpheme
minimal meaningful language unit; it cannot be divided into smaller meaningful units; formative
minimal language unit that has a syntactic (or morphological) function; name
a language unit by which a person or thing is known; agenda item
one of the items to be considered; incidental
an item that is incidental; inventory item
an item listed in an inventory; line item
an item in an appropriation bill; news item
an item in a newspaper; place, position
an item on a list or in a sequence; collocation
a grouping of words in a sentence; phone, sound, speech sound
(phonetics) an individual sound unit of speech without concern as to whether or not it is a phoneme of some language; sign
a fundamental linguistic unit linking a signifier to that which is signified; high spot, highlight
the most interesting or memorable part; leftover, remnant
a small part or portion that remains after the main part no longer exists; chemistry
the chemical composition and properties of a substance or object; material, stuff
the tangible substance that goes into the makeup of a physical object; phlogiston
a hypothetical substance once believed to be present in all combustible materials and to be released during burning; mixture
(chemistry) a substance consisting of two or more substances mixed together (not in fixed proportions and not with chemical bonding); atom
(physics and chemistry) the smallest component of an element having the chemical properties of the element; chemical element, element
any of the more than 100 known substances (of which 92 occur naturally) that cannot be separated into simpler substances and that singly or in combination constitute all matter; activator
(biology) any agency bringing about activation; a molecule that increases the activity of an enzyme or a protein that increases the production of a gene product in DNA transcription; substrate
the substance that is acted upon by an enzyme or ferment; element
one of four substances thought in ancient and medieval cosmology to constitute the physical universe; medium
an intervening substance through which something is achieved; medium
(biology) a substance in which specimens are preserved or displayed; fluid
a substance that is fluid at room temperature and pressure; volatile
a volatile substance; a substance that changes readily from solid or liquid to a vapor; essence
any substance possessing to a high degree the predominant properties of a plant or drug or other natural product from which it is extracted

Type of:: relation
an abstraction belonging to or characteristic of two entities or parts together

n the allotment of some amount by dividing something

Synonyms:: parcel, share

Type of:: allocation, allotment, apportioning, apportionment, assignation, parceling, parcelling
the act of distributing by allotting or apportioning; distribution according to a plan

n an individual quantity of food or drink taken as part of a meal

“his portion was larger than hers”

Synonyms:: helping, serving

Types:: show 35 types...; hide 35 types...; drumstick
the lower joint of the leg of a fowl; second joint, thigh
the upper joint of the leg of a fowl; breast, white meat
meat carved from the breast of a fowl; wing
the wing of a fowl; medallion
a circular helping of food (especially a boneless cut of meat); oyster
a small muscle on each side of the back of a fowl; parson's nose, pope's nose
the tail of a dressed fowl; piece, slice
a serving that has been cut from a larger portion; round, round of drinks
a serving to each of a group (usually alcoholic); drink
a single serving of a beverage; libation
a serving (of wine) poured out in honor of a deity; turkey drumstick, turkey leg
the lower joint of the leg of a turkey; chicken drumstick, chicken leg
the lower joint of the leg of a chicken; turkey wing
the wing of a turkey; chicken wing
the wing of a chicken; cutlet, escallop, scallop, scollop
thin slice of meat (especially veal) usually fried or broiled; filet, fillet, fish filet, fish fillet
a longitudinal slice or boned side of a fish; chaser
a drink to follow immediately after another drink; draft, draught, potation, tipple
a serving of drink (usually alcoholic) drawn from a keg; pledge, toast
a drink in honor of or to the health of a person or event; libation
(facetious) a serving of an alcoholic beverage; eye opener
an alcoholic drink intended to wake one up early in the morning; nightcap
an alcoholic drink taken at bedtime; often alcoholic; hair of the dog
an alcoholic drink supposed to cure a hangover; shandy, shandygaff
a drink made of beer and lemonade; stirrup cup
a farewell drink (especially one offered to a horseman ready to depart); usually alcoholic; sundowner
a drink taken at sundown; posset
sweet spiced hot milk curdled with ale or beer; sillabub, syllabub
spiced hot milk with rum or wine; sangaree, sangria
sweetened red wine and orange or lemon juice with soda water; whiskey neat, whisky neat
a drink consisting of whiskey without a mixer; whiskey on the rocks, whisky on the rocks
whiskey with ice; float, ice-cream float, ice-cream soda
a drink with ice cream floating in it; milk shake, milkshake, shake
frothy drink of milk and flavoring and sometimes fruit or ice cream; frappe
liqueur poured over shaved ice

Type of:: small indefinite amount, small indefinite quantity
an indefinite quantity that is below average size or magnitude

n assets belonging to or due to or contributed by an individual person or group

Synonyms:: part, percentage, share

Types:: show 27 types...; hide 27 types...; tranche
a portion of something (especially money); dispensation
a share that has been dispensed or distributed; dole
a share of money or food or clothing that has been charitably given; way
a portion of something divided into shares; ration
a fixed portion that is allotted (especially in times of scarcity); allowance
an amount allowed or granted (as during a given period); piece, slice
a share of something; split
a promised or claimed share of loot or money; interest, stake
(law) a right or legal share of something; a financial involvement with something; profit sharing
a system in which employees receive a share of the net profits of the business; cut
a share of the profits; allocation, allotment
a share set aside for a specific purpose; grubstake
funds advanced to a prospector or to someone starting a business in return for a share of the profits; controlling interest
ownership of more than 50% of a corporation's voting shares; insurable interest
an interest in a person or thing that will support the issuance of an insurance policy; an interest in the survival of the insured or in the preservation of the thing that is insured; vested interest
(law) an interest in which there is a fixed right to present or future enjoyment and that can be conveyed to another; security interest
any interest in a property that secures the payment of an obligation; terminable interest
an interest in property that terminates under specific conditions; undivided interest, undivided right
the interest in property owned by tenants whereby each tenant has an equal right to enjoy the entire property; fee
an interest in land capable of being inherited; rake-off, vigorish
a percentage (of winnings or loot or profit) taken by an operator or gangster; reallocation
a share that has been allocated again; quota
a proportional share assigned to each participant; privy purse
allowance for a monarch's personal expenses; equity
the ownership interest of shareholders in a corporation; reversion
(law) an interest in an estate that reverts to the grantor (or his heirs) at the end of some period (e.g., the death of the grantee); right
(frequently plural) the interest possessed by law or custom in some intangible thing

Type of:: assets
anything of material value or usefulness that is owned by a person or company

n money or property brought by a woman to her husband at marriage

Synonyms:: dower, dowery, dowry

Type of:: gift
something acquired without compensation

n something less than the whole of a human artifact

Synonyms:: part

Types:: show 66 types...; hide 66 types...; appendage
a part that is joined to something larger; bit
the part of a key that enters a lock and lifts the tumblers; bottleneck
the narrow part of a bottle near the top; bulb
a rounded part of a cylindrical instrument (usually at one end); butt, stub
the small unused part of something (especially the end of a cigarette that is left after smoking); component, constituent, element
an artifact that is one of the individual parts of which a composite entity is made up; especially a part that can be separated from or attached to a system; cutout
a part that is cut out or is intended to be cut out; foible
the weaker part of a sword's blade from the forte to the tip; fore edge, foredge
the part of a book that faces inward when the book is shelved; the part opposite the spine; forte
the stronger part of a sword blade between the hilt and the foible; fraction
a small part or item forming a piece of a whole; heel
(golf) the part of the clubhead where it joins the shaft; hub
the central part of a car wheel (or fan or propeller etc) through which the shaft or axle passes; jetsam
the part of a ship's equipment or cargo that is thrown overboard to lighten the load in a storm; limb
either of the two halves of a bow from handle to tip; neck
a narrow part of an artifact that resembles a neck in position or form; peen
the part of a hammerhead opposite the flat striking surface (may have various shapes); piece
a separate part of a whole; pressing
a metal or plastic part that is made by a mechanical press; seat
a part of a machine that supports or guides another part; section, segment
one of several parts or pieces that fit with others to constitute a whole object; shank, waist
the narrow part of the shoe connecting the heel and the wide part of the sole; backbone, spine
the part of a book's cover that encloses the inner side of the book's pages and that faces outward when the book is shelved; toe
(golf) the part of a clubhead farthest from the shaft; turnout, widening
a part of a road that has been widened to allow cars to pass or park; upstage
the rear part of the stage; upstairs
the part of a building above the ground floor; wreckage
the remaining parts of something that has been wrecked; accessory, add-on, appurtenance, supplement
a supplementary component that improves capability; add-on, addition, improver
a component that is added to something to improve it; appendicle
a small appendage; audio
the sound elements of television; auto part, car part
a component of an automobile; beam
long thick piece of wood or metal or concrete, etc., used in construction; bend, curve
curved segment (of a road or river or railroad track etc.); cigar butt
small part of a cigar that is left after smoking; cigarette butt
small part of a cigarette that is left after smoking; crystal
a crystalline element used as a component in various electronic devices; dado
the section of a pedestal between the base and the surbase; flotsam, jetsam
the floating wreckage of a ship; handhold
an appendage to hold onto; grip, handgrip, handle, hold
the appendage to an object that is designed to be held in order to use or move it; computer hardware, hardware
(computer science) the mechanical, magnetic, electronic, and electrical components making up a computer system; heating element
the component of a heater or range that transforms fuel or electricity into heat; ingredient
a component of a mixture or compound; input
a component of production; something that goes into the production of output; lagan, lagend, ligan
goods (or wreckage) on the sea bed that is attached to a buoy so that it can be recovered; landside
component consisting of a side piece opposite the moldboard; leaf
hinged or detachable flat section (as of a table or door); length
a section of something that is long and narrow; making
(usually plural) the components needed for making or doing something; module
a self-contained component (unit or item) that is used in combination with other components; piece of cloth, piece of material
a separate part consisting of fabric; piece of leather
a separate part consisting of leather; pel, picture element, pixel
(computer science) the smallest discrete component of an image or picture on a CRT screen (usually a colored dot); retrofit
a component or accessory added to something after it has been manufactured; roach
the butt of a marijuana cigarette; scrap
a small piece of something that is left over after the rest has been used; fragment, shard, sherd
a broken piece of a brittle artifact; snip, snippet, snipping
a small piece of anything (especially a piece that has been snipped off); spare, spare part
an extra component of a machine or other apparatus; spark gap
a component of an ignition system; consists of two shaped electrodes and the space between them; spindle
a piece of wood that has been turned on a lathe; used as a baluster, chair leg, etc.; straight, straightaway
a straight segment of a roadway or racecourse; subdivision, subsection
a section of a section; a part of a part; i.e., a part of something already divided; tailpiece
appendage added to extend the length of something

Type of:: object, physical object
a tangible and visible entity; an entity that can cast a shadow

v give out

Synonyms:: allot, assign

Types:: show 5 types...; hide 5 types...; allow, appropriate, earmark, reserve, set aside
give or assign a resource to a particular person or cause; allocate, apportion
distribute according to a plan or set apart for a special purpose; reallocate, reapportion
allocate, distribute, or apportion anew; ration, ration out
distribute in rations, as in the army; award, present
give, especially as an honor or reward

Type of:: administer, allot, deal, deal out, dish out, dispense, distribute, dole out, lot, mete out, parcel out, shell out
administer or bestow, as in small portions

n your overall circumstances or condition in life (including everything that happens to you)

“success that was her portion”

Synonyms:: circumstances, destiny, fate, fortune, lot, luck

Types:: show 14 types...; hide 14 types...; good fortune, good luck, luckiness
an auspicious state resulting from favorable outcomes; providence
a manifestation of God's foresightful care for his creatures; bad luck, ill luck, misfortune, tough luck
an unfortunate state resulting from unfavorable outcomes; failure
lack of success; prosperity, successfulness
the condition of prospering; having good fortune; blessing, boon
a desirable state; weakness
the condition of being financially weak; adversity, hard knocks, hardship
a state of misfortune or affliction; gutter, sewer, toilet
misfortune resulting in lost effort or money; hard cheese
bad luck; bankruptcy
a state of complete lack of some abstract property; bank failure
the inability of a bank to meet its credit obligations; crop failure
the failure of crops to produce a marketable surplus; dead duck
something doomed to failure

Type of:: condition
a mode of being or form of existence of a person or thing

Learn Launch

WORD FAMILY

USAGE EXAMPLES