function

[Func·tion]

In the old "Schoolhouse Rock" song, "Conjunction junction, what's your function?," the word function means, "What does a conjunction do?" The famous design dictum "form follows function" tells us that an object's design should reflect what it does.

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The act of executing or performing any duty, office, or calling; per formance.

Noun
the actions and activities assigned to or required or expected of a person or group; "the function of a teacher"; "the government must do its part"; "play its role"

Noun
what something is used for; "the function of an auger is to bore holes"; "ballet is beautiful but what use is it?"

Noun
a set sequence of steps, part of larger computer program

Noun
a vaguely specified social event; "the party was quite an affair"; "an occasion arranged to honor the president"; "a seemingly endless round of social functions"

Noun
a formal or official social gathering or ceremony; "it was a black-tie function"

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Noun
a relation such that one thing is dependent on another; "height is a function of age"; "price is a function of supply and demand"

Noun
a mathematical relation such that each element of one set is associated with at least one element of another set

Verb
perform duties attached to a particular office or place or function; "His wife officiated as his private secretary"

Verb
perform as expected when applied; "The washing machine won''t go unless it''s plugged in"; "Does this old car still run well?"; "This old radio doesn''t work anymore"

Verb
serve a purpose, role, or function; "The tree stump serves as a table"; "The female students served as a control group"; "This table would serve very well"; "His freedom served him well"; "The table functions as a desk"

n.
The act of executing or performing any duty, office, or calling; per formance.

n.
The appropriate action of any special organ or part of an animal or vegetable organism; as, the function of the heart or the limbs; the function of leaves, sap, roots, etc.; life is the sum of the functions of the various organs and parts of the body.

n.
The natural or assigned action of any power or faculty, as of the soul, or of the intellect; the exertion of an energy of some determinate kind.

n.
The course of action which peculiarly pertains to any public officer in church or state; the activity appropriate to any business or profession.

n.
A quantity so connected with another quantity, that if any alteration be made in the latter there will be a consequent alteration in the former. Each quantity is said to be a function of the other. Thus, the circumference of a circle is a function of the diameter. If x be a symbol to which different numerical values can be assigned, such expressions as x2, 3x, Log. x, and Sin. x, are all functions of x.

v. i.
Alt. of Functionate

Function

Func"tion , n. [L. functio, fr. fungi to perform, execute, akin to Skr. bhuj to enjoy, have the use of: cf. F. fonction. Cf. Defunct.] 1. The act of executing or performing any duty, office, or calling; per formance. "In the function of his public calling." Swift. 2. (Physiol.) The appropriate action of any special organ or part of an animal or vegetable organism; as, the function of the heart or the limbs; the function of leaves, sap, roots, etc.; life is the sum of the functions of the various organs and parts of the body. 3. The natural or assigned action of any power or faculty, as of the soul, or of the intellect; the exertion of an energy of some determinate kind.

As the mind opens, and its functions spread.

4. The course of action which peculiarly pertains to any public officer in church or state; the activity appropriate to any business or profession.

Tradesmen . . . going about their functions.

The malady which made him incapable of performing his regal functions.

5. (Math.) A quantity so connected with another quantity, that if any alteration be made in the latter there will be a consequent alteration in the former. Each quantity is said to be a function of the other. Thus, the circumference of a circle is a function of the diameter. If x be a symbol to which different numerical values can be assigned, such expressions as x2, 3x, Log. x, and Sin. x, are all functions of x. Algebraic function, a quantity whose connection with the variable is expressed by an equation that involves only the algebraic operations of addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, raising to a given power, and extracting a given root; -- opposed to transcendental function. -- Arbitrary function. See under Arbitrary. -- Calculus of functions. See under Calculus. -- Carnot's function (Thermo-dynamics), a relation between the amount of heat given off by a source of heat, and the work which can be done by it. It is approximately equal to the mechanical equivalent of the thermal unit divided by the number expressing the temperature in degrees of the air thermometer, reckoned from its zero of expansion. -- Circular functions. See Inverse trigonometrical functions (below). -- Continuous function, a quantity that has no interruption in the continuity of its real values, as the variable changes between any specified limits. -- Discontinuous function. See under Discontinuous. -- Elliptic functions, a large and important class of functions, so called because one of the forms expresses the relation of the arc of an ellipse to the straight lines connected therewith. -- Explicit function, a quantity directly expressed in terms of the independently varying quantity; thus, in the equations y = 6x2, y = 10 -x3, the quantity y is an explicit function of x. -- Implicit function, a quantity whose relation to the variable is expressed indirectly by an equation; thus, y in the equation x2 + y2 = 100 is an implicit function of x. -- Inverse trigonometrical functions, ∨ Circular function, the lengths of arcs relative to the sines, tangents, etc. Thus, AB is the arc whose sine is BD, and (if the length of BD is x) is written sin -1x, and so of the other lines. See Trigonometrical function (below). Other transcendental functions are the exponential functions, the elliptic functions, the gamma functions, the theta functions, etc. -- One-valued function, a quantity that has one, and only one, value for each value of the variable. -- Transcendental functions, a quantity whose connection with the variable cannot be expressed by algebraic operations; thus, y in the equation y = 10x is a transcendental function of x. See Algebraic function (above). -- Trigonometrical function, a quantity whose relation to the variable is the same as that of a certain straight line drawn in a circle whose radius is unity, to the length of a corresponding are of the circle. Let AB be an arc in a circle, whose radius OA is unity let AC be a quadrant, and let OC, DB, and AF be drawnpependicular to OA, and EB and CG parallel to OA, and let OB be produced to G and F. E Then BD is the sine of the arc AB; OD or EB is the cosine, AF is the tangent, CG is the cotangent, OF is the secant OG is the cosecant, AD is the versed sine, and CE is the coversed sine of the are AB. If the length of AB be represented by x (OA being unity) then the lengths of Functions. these lines (OA being unity) are the trigonometrical functions of x, and are written sin x, cos x, tan x (or tang x), cot x, sec x, cosec x, versin x, coversin x. These quantities are also considered as functions of the angle BOA.

The act of executing or performing any duty, office, or calling; per formance.

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Usage Examples

Fear of serious injury alone cannot justify oppression of free speech and assembly. Men feared witches and burnt women. It is the function of speech to free men from the bondage of irrational fears.

Form follows function.

Does it follow that the house has nothing in common with art and is architecture not to be included in the arts? Only a very small part of architecture belongs to art: the tomb and the monument. Everything else that fulfils a function is to be excluded from the domain of art.

A primary function of art and thought is to liberate the individual from the tyranny of his culture in the environmental sense and to permit him to stand beyond it in an autonomy of perception and judgment.

Although all the good arts serve to draw man's mind away from vices and lead it toward better things, this function can be more fully performed by this art, which also provides extraordinary intellectual pleasure.

Dynamism is a function of change.

Misspelled Form

function, dfunction, rfunction, tfunction, gfunction, vfunction, cfunction, dunction, runction, tunction, gunction, vunction, cunction, fdunction, frunction, ftunction, fgunction, fvunction, fcunction, fyunction, f7unction, f8unction, fiunction, fjunction, fynction, f7nction, f8nction, finction, fjnction, fuynction, fu7nction, fu8nction, fuinction, fujnction, fubnction, fuhnction, fujnction, fumnction, fu nction, fubction, fuhction, fujction, fumction, fu ction, funbction, funhction, funjction, funmction, fun ction, funxction, fundction, funfction, funvction, fun ction, funxtion, fundtion, funftion, funvtion, fun tion, funcxtion, funcdtion, funcftion, funcvtion, func tion, funcrtion, func5tion, func6tion, funcytion, funcgtion, funcrion, func5ion, func6ion, funcyion, funcgion, functrion, funct5ion, funct6ion, functyion, functgion, functuion, funct8ion, funct9ion, functoion, functjion, functkion, functuon, funct8on, funct9on, functoon, functjon, functkon, functiuon, functi8on, functi9on, functioon, functijon, functikon, functiion, functi9on, functi0on, functipon, functilon, functiin, functi9n, functi0n, functipn, functiln, functioin, functio9n, functio0n, functiopn, functioln, functiobn, functiohn, functiojn, functiomn, functio n, functiob, functioh, functioj, functiom, functio , functionb, functionh, functionj, functionm, function .

Other Usage Examples

Forgiveness is an act of the will, and the will can function regardless of the temperature of the heart.

A child's learning is a function more of the characteristics of his classmates than those of the teacher.

Cats are intended to teach us that not everything in nature has a function.

All things are subject to interpretation whichever interpretation prevails at a given time is a function of power and not truth.

But one way or another, judges perform a very vital function in our society. They have a risky job and they are entitled to security.

Every legend, moreover, contains its residuum of truth, and the root function of language is to control the universe by describing it.