approximation

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ap·prox·i·ma·tion

(ə-prŏk′sə-mā′shən)

1. The act, process, or result of approximating.

2. Mathematics An inexact result adequate for a given purpose.

ap·prox′i·ma′tive (-mā′tĭv) adj.

ap·prox′i·ma′tive·ly adv.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

approximation

(əˌprɒksɪˈmeɪʃən)

1. the process or result of making a rough calculation, estimate, or guess: he based his conclusion on his own approximation of the fuel consumption.

2. an imprecise or unreliable record or version: an approximation of what really happened.

3. (Mathematics) maths an inexact number, relationship, or theory that is sufficiently accurate for a specific purpose

4. (Mathematics) maths

a. an estimate of the value of some quantity to a desired degree of accuracy

b. an expression in simpler terms than a given expression which approximates to it

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

ap•prox•i•ma•tion

(əˌprɒk səˈmeɪ ʃən)

n.

1. an inexact computation or result that still falls within the required limits of accuracy.

2. the quality or state of being near or close: an approximation to the facts.

3. the act of drawing together.

[1400–50; late Middle English (< Middle French) < Medieval Latin]

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

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Noun	1.	approximation - an approximate calculation of quantity or degree or worth; "an estimate of what it would cost"; "a rough idea how long it would take" estimate, estimation, idea scalage - estimation of the amount of lumber in a log figuring, reckoning, calculation, computation - problem solving that involves numbers or quantities credit rating, credit - an estimate, based on previous dealings, of a person's or an organization's ability to fulfill their financial commitments dead reckoning, guessing, guesswork, guess, shot - an estimate based on little or no information guesstimate, guestimate - an estimate that combines reasoning with guessing overrating, overreckoning, overestimate, overestimation - a calculation that results in an estimate that is too high underestimate, underestimation, underrating, underreckoning - an estimation that is too low; an estimate that is less than the true or actual value
	2.	approximation - the quality of coming near to identity (especially close in quantity) similarity - the quality of being similar
	3.	approximation - an imprecise or incomplete account; "newspapers gave only an approximation of the actual events" version - an interpretation of a matter from a particular viewpoint; "his version of the fight was different from mine"
	4.	approximation - the act of bringing near or bringing together especially the cut edges of tissue bringing close together joining, connexion, connection - the act of bringing two things into contact (especially for communication); "the joining of hands around the table"; "there was a connection via the internet"

approximation

noun

1. likeness, approach, correspondence, resemblance, semblance That's a fair approximation of the way the next boss will be chosen.

2. guess, estimate, conjecture, estimation, guesswork, rough idea, rough calculation, ballpark figure (informal), ballpark estimate (informal) That's an approximation, but my guess is there'll be a reasonable balance.

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

approximation

noun

A rough or tentative calculation:

estimate, estimation.

Translations

تَقْدير تَقريبيتَقريبي

odhadpřiblíženípřibližná hodnotapřibližné vymezení

løselig beregningoverslag

Annäherung

aproximación

approksimaatioapproksimointiarviointilähentäminenlikiarvo

approximation rapprochement

megközelítés

nálgun

approssimazione accostamento

benaderen benadering schatten schatting

beregning løselig beregning overslag tilnærming

аппроксимация

približná hodnota

tahmintahmin etme

近似近似值近似法

approximation

[əˌprɒksɪˈmeɪʃən] N → aproximación f

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

approximation

[əˌprɒksɪˈmeɪʃ^ən] n → approximation f
an approximation of sth
His lips pulled back in an approximation of a smile → Ses lèvres se séparèrent en une sorte de sourire.
He had coarsened his voice to an approximation of cockney → Il avait rendu sa voix plus rauque pour imiter l'accent cockney.
an approximation to sth
This in an approximation to the Greek word → Ceci est une traduction approximative du mot grec.

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

approximation

n → Annäherung f (→ of, to an +acc); (= figure, sum etc) → (An)näherungswert m; his story was an approximation of the truth → seine Geschichte entsprach in etwa or ungefähr der Wahrheit

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

approximation

[əˈprɒksɪˈmeɪʃ/ən] n → approssimazione f

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

approximate

(əˈproksimət) adjective

very nearly correct or accurate; not intended to be absolutely correct. Give me an approximate answer!; Can you give me an approximate price for the job?

apˈproximately adverb

nearly; more or less. There will be approximately five hundred people present.

apˌproximˈation noun

1. a figure, answer etc which is not (intended to be) exact. This figure is just an approximation.

2. the process of estimating a figure etc. We decided on a price by a process of approximation.

References in classic literature ?

And without considering the multiplicity and complexity of the conditions any one of which taken separately may seem to be the cause, he snatches at the first approximation to a cause that seems to him intelligible and says: "This is the cause!" In historical events

(where the actions of men are the subject of observation) the first and most primitive approximation to present itself was the will of the gods and, after that, the will of those who stood in the most prominent position- the heroes of history.

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I suggest, as a first approximation, that these particulars, together with such correlated others as are unperceived, jointly ARE the table; and that a similar definition applies to all physical objects.*

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I was only going to ask whether, if we have discovered them, we are to require that the just man should in nothing fail of absolute justice; or may we be satisfied with an approximation, and the attainment in him of a higher degree of justice than is to be found in other men?

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Now that Meno has been made to understand the nature of a general definition, he answers in the spirit of a Greek gentleman, and in the words of a poet, 'that virtue is to delight in things honourable, and to have the power of getting them.' This is a nearer approximation than he has yet made to a complete definition, and, regarded as a piece of proverbial or popular morality, is not far from the truth.

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He moved his tail again, as though this closest approximation of lashing in which he dared indulge might stimulate his momentarily waned courage.

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At each new visit they beheld a larger pile of wooden chips and a nearer approximation to something beautiful.

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In the daylight, indeed, she felt her terrors about his soul to have been somewhat exaggerated; whether well founded or not she had no uneasiness now, reasoning that if Providence would not ratify such an act of approximation she, for one, did not value the kind of heaven lost by the irregularity--either for herself or for her child.

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"A command over our passions, and over the external senses of the body, and good acts, are declared by the Ved to be indispensable in the mind's approximation to God." Yet the spirit can for the time pervade and control every member and function of the body, and transmute what in form is the grossest sensuality into purity and devotion.

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And after many trials and many approximations, the result is at last achieved.

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When we come to Aristotle's analysis of existing constitutions, we find that while he regards them as imperfect approximations to the ideal, he also thinks of them as the result of the struggle between classes.

View in context

We live in a system of approximations. Every end is prospective of some other end, which is also temporary; a round and final success nowhere.