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parallel
[ par-uh-lel, -luhl ]
adjective
- extending in the same direction, equidistant at all points, and never converging or diverging:
Parallel rows of trees lined two ends of the parking lot.
- having the same direction, course, nature, or tendency; corresponding; similar; analogous:
Canada and the United States have many parallel economic interests.
- Geometry.
- (of straight lines) lying in the same plane but never meeting no matter how far extended.
- (of planes) having common perpendiculars.
- (of a single line, plane, etc.) equidistant from another or others (usually followed by to or with ).
- Electricity. consisting of or having component parts connected in such a way that all positive terminals are connected to one point and all negative terminals are connected to a second point, the same voltage being applied to each component:
a parallel circuit.
- Music.
- (of two voice parts) progressing so that the interval between them remains the same.
- (of a tonality or key) having the same tonic but differing in mode:
A major and A minor are parallel keys.
- Computers.
- of or relating to the apparent or actual performance of more than one operation at a time by the same or different devices ( serial ):
Some computer systems join more than one CPU for parallel processing.
- of or relating to the simultaneous transmission or processing of all the parts of a whole, as all the bits of a byte or all the bytes of a computer word ( serial ).
- Grammar. consisting of matched syntactic elements in corresponding positions:
In the sentence “I have three cats and two dogs,” “three cats” and “two dogs” are in parallel structure.
noun
- a parallel line or plane.
- anything parallel or comparable to something else in direction, course, nature, or tendency.
- Also called parallel of latitude. Geography.
- an imaginary circle on the earth's surface formed by the intersection of a plane parallel to the plane of the equator, bearing east and west and designated in degrees of latitude north or south of the equator along the arc of any meridian.
- the line representing this circle on a chart or map.
- something identical or similar in essential respects; match; counterpart:
It's a struggle to diagnose a case history without a known parallel.
Synonyms: equivalent, body double, twin, duplicate, mate, equal
Antonyms: opposite
- correspondence or analogy:
These two cases have some parallel with each other.
- a comparison of things as if regarded side by side.
- Electricity. an arrangement of the components, such as resistors, of a circuit in such a way that all positive terminals are connected to one point and all negative terminals are connected to a second point, the same voltage being applied to each component. Compare series ( def 9 ).
- Fortification. a trench cut in the ground before a fortress, parallel to its defenses, for the purpose of covering a besieging force.
- Printing. a pair of vertical parallel lines (‖) used as a mark for reference.
- Theater. a trestle for supporting a platform parallel top.
verb (used with object)
- to provide or show a parallel for; match.
- to go or be in a parallel course, direction, etc., to:
The road parallels the river.
- to form a parallel to; be equivalent to; equal.
- to show the identity or similarity of; compare.
- to make parallel.
parallel
/ ˈpærəˌlɛl /
adjective
- separated by an equal distance at every point; never touching or intersecting
parallel walls
- corresponding; similar
parallel situations
- music
- Alsoconsecutive (of two or more parts or melodies) moving in similar motion but keeping the same interval apart throughout
parallel fifths
- denoting successive chords in which the individual notes move in parallel motion
- grammar denoting syntactic constructions in which the constituents of one construction correspond to those of the other
- computing operating on several items of information, instructions, etc, simultaneously Compare serial
noun
- maths one of a set of parallel lines, planes, etc
- an exact likeness
- a comparison
- Also calledparallel of latitude any of the imaginary lines around the earth parallel to the equator, designated by degrees of latitude ranging from 0° at the equator to 90° at the poles
- a configuration of two or more electrical components connected between two points in a circuit so that the same voltage is applied to each (esp in the phrase in parallel )
- ( as modifier ) See series
a parallel circuit
- printing the character (∥) used as a reference mark
- a trench or line lying in advance of and parallel to other defensive positions
verb
- to make parallel
- to supply a parallel to
- to be a parallel to or correspond with
your experience parallels mine
parallel
/ păr′ə-lĕl′ /
Adjective
- Of or relating to lines or surfaces that are separated everywhere from each other by the same distance.
Noun
- Any of the imaginary lines encircling the Earth's surface parallel to the plane of the equator, used to represent degrees of latitude.
- See illustration at longitude
Other Words From
- par·al·lel·a·ble adjective
- par·al·lel·less adjective
- par·al·lel·ly adverb
- non·par·al·lel adjective noun
- sub·par·al·lel adjective
- un·par·al·lel adjective
Word History and Origins
Word History and Origins
Origin of parallel1
Idioms and Phrases
- in parallel,
- at the same time or in conjunction:
When you are at school, your growth and change is taking place in parallel with fellow students who are also growing and changing.
- Electricity. (of the components of a circuit) arranged in such a way that all positive terminals are connected to one point and all negative terminals are connected to a second point, the same voltage being applied to each component.
Example Sentences
Why don’t I just, when they’re venting about something, figure out the closest thing I have within me and then write in a parallel line with them?
Sir Brian's report will land on ministers' desks around the same time as a parallel review of sentencing of offenders.
Clayton was not even referring, specifically, to the power grab in the state legislature, but a parallel attempt to subvert the will of voters.
Shah also faces a parallel civil tax fraud case in London, filed by the Danish tax authority, that is due to conclude in April.
Some might see parallels between Apple computers and the monarchy, a bit expensive but with many dedicated fans who think it's worth it.
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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