Library / English Dictionary

FUNCTION

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

The actions and activities assigned to or required or expected of a person or group

Example:

play its role

Synonyms:

function; office; part; role

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("function" is a kind of...):

duty (work that you are obliged to perform for moral or legal reasons)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "function"):

capacity (a specified function)

hat (an informal term for a person's role)

portfolio (the role of the head of a government department)

lieu; place; position; stead (the post or function properly or customarily occupied or served by another)

second fiddle (a secondary role or function)

Derivation:

function (perform duties attached to a particular office or place or function)

Sense 2

Meaning:

What something is used for

Example:

ballet is beautiful but what use is it?

Synonyms:

function; purpose; role; use

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Hypernyms ("function" is a kind of...):

usefulness; utility (the quality of being of practical use)

Attribute:

functional (designed for or capable of a particular function or use)

nonfunctional (not having or performing a function)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "function"):

raison d'etre (the purpose that justifies a thing's existence)

Derivation:

function (serve a purpose, role, or function)

Sense 3

Meaning:

A set sequence of steps, part of larger computer program

Synonyms:

function; procedure; routine; subprogram; subroutine

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Hypernyms ("function" is a kind of...):

computer software; package; software; software package; software program; software system ((computer science) written programs or procedures or rules and associated documentation pertaining to the operation of a computer system and that are stored in read/write memory)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "function"):

service routine; utility routine (a routine that can be used as needed)

tracing routine (a routine that provides a chronological record of the execution of a computer program)

executive routine; supervisory routine (a routine that coordinates the operation of subroutines)

reusable routine (a routine that can be loaded once and executed repeatedly)

recursive routine (a routine that can call itself)

random number generator (a routine designed to yield a random number)

library routine (a debugged routine that is maintained in a program library)

contingency procedure (an alternative to the normal procedure; triggered if an unusual but anticipated situation arises)

cataloged procedure (a set of control statements that have been placed in a library and can be retrieved by name)

Holonyms ("function" is a part of...):

computer program; computer programme; program; programme ((computer science) a sequence of instructions that a computer can interpret and execute)

Sense 4

Meaning:

A vaguely specified social event

Example:

a seemingly endless round of social functions

Synonyms:

affair; function; occasion; social function; social occasion

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Hypernyms ("function" is a kind of...):

social event (an event characteristic of persons forming groups)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "function"):

sleepover (an occasion of spending a night away from home or having a guest spend the night in your home (especially as a party for children))

photo op; photo opportunity (an occasion that lends itself to (or is deliberately arranged for) taking photographs that provide favorable publicity for those who are photographed)

fundraiser (a social function that is held for the purpose of raising money)

ceremonial; ceremonial occasion; ceremony; observance (a formal event performed on a special occasion)

celebration; jubilation (a joyful occasion for special festivities to mark some happy event)

party (an occasion on which people can assemble for social interaction and entertainment)

Sense 5

Meaning:

A formal or official social gathering or ceremony

Example:

it was a black-tie function

Classified under:

Nouns denoting groupings of people or objects

Hypernyms ("function" is a kind of...):

social affair; social gathering (a gathering for the purpose of promoting fellowship)

Sense 6

Meaning:

A relation such that one thing is dependent on another

Example:

price is a function of supply and demand

Classified under:

Nouns denoting relations between people or things or ideas

Hypernyms ("function" is a kind of...):

relation (an abstraction belonging to or characteristic of two entities or parts together)

Sense 7

Meaning:

(mathematics) a mathematical relation such that each element of a given set (the domain of the function) is associated with an element of another set (the range of the function)

Synonyms:

function; map; mapping; mathematical function; single-valued function

Classified under:

Nouns denoting relations between people or things or ideas

Hypernyms ("function" is a kind of...):

mathematical relation (a relation between mathematical expressions (such as equality or inequality))

Domain category:

math; mathematics; maths (a science (or group of related sciences) dealing with the logic of quantity and shape and arrangement)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "function"):

exponential; exponential function (a function in which an independent variable appears as an exponent)

threshold function (a function that takes the value 1 if a specified function of the arguments exceeds a given threshold and 0 otherwise)

circular function; trigonometric function (function of an angle expressed as a ratio of the length of the sides of right-angled triangle containing the angle)

operator ((mathematics) a symbol or function representing a mathematical operation)

isometry (a one-to-one mapping of one metric space into another metric space that preserves the distances between each pair of points)

transformation ((mathematics) a function that changes the position or direction of the axes of a coordinate system)

metric; metric function (a function of a topological space that gives, for any two points in the space, a value equal to the distance between them)

Kronecker delta (a function of two variables i and j that equals 1 when i=j and equals 0 otherwise)

inverse function (a function obtained by expressing the dependent variable of one function as the independent variable of another; f and g are inverse functions if f(x)=y and g(y)=x)

expansion (a function expressed as a sum or product of terms)

multinomial; polynomial (a mathematical function that is the sum of a number of terms)

 II. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Perform duties attached to a particular office or place or function

Example:

His wife officiated as his private secretary

Synonyms:

function; officiate

Classified under:

Verbs of fighting, athletic activities

Hypernyms (to "function" is one way to...):

serve (do duty or hold offices; serve in a specific function)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s PP

Derivation:

function (the actions and activities assigned to or required or expected of a person or group)

functionary (a worker who holds or is invested with an office)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Perform as expected when applied

Example:

This old radio doesn't work anymore

Synonyms:

function; go; operate; run; work

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Verb group:

run (be operating, running or functioning)

work (operate in or through)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "function"):

double (do double duty; serve two purposes or have two functions)

roll (begin operating or running)

run (be operating, running or functioning)

cut (function as a cutting instrument)

serve; service (be used by; as of a utility)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Sentence example:

These cars won't function

Antonym:

malfunction (fail to function or function improperly)

Derivation:

functioning (process or manner of functioning or operating)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Serve a purpose, role, or function

Example:

The table functions as a desk

Synonyms:

function; serve

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Hypernyms (to "function" is one way to...):

answer; do; serve; suffice (be sufficient; be adequate, either in quality or quantity)

Verb group:

serve; service (be used by; as of a utility)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "function"):

prelude (serve as a prelude or opening to)

act as (function as or act like)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s something

Derivation:

function (what something is used for)

Credits

 Context examples: 

This is most often done by inserting thin needles through the skin, to cause a change in the physical functions of the body.

(Acupuncture, NIH: National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine)

It is the clergyman's function to help—at least with advice—those who wished to help themselves.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

This may prevent their functioning and eventually kill the parasite.

(Acetarsol, NCI Thesaurus)

This agent functions as an estrogen agonist in lipid metabolism, thereby decreasing total and LDL cholesterol levels.

(Acolbifene hydrochloride, NCI Thesaurus)

Silent or hormonally non-functioning ACTH producing adenomas have also been described.

(ACTH-Producing Pituitary Gland Adenoma, NCI Thesaurus)

This protein plays a role in both B-cell functioning and DNA modification.

(Activation-Induced Cytidine Deaminase, NCI Thesaurus)

RASD1 may form a ternary complex with CAPON and NOS1 and may function as a physiologic nitric oxide (NO) effector.

(Activator of G-Protein Signaling 1, NCI Thesaurus)

Vitamin A is essential for diverse cellular functions, immune system functions, and maintenance of mucous membranes, while vitamin D regulates calcium and phosphorous metabolism.

(A and D Ointment, NCI Thesaurus)

Also, the strain has defective macrophage function reminiscent of lps mutation common to other strains.

(A/J Mouse, NCI Thesaurus)

This gene is involved in multi-drug resistance, antigen presentation and is postulated to play a role in mitochondrial function.

(ABCB6 Gene, NCI Thesaurus)