n.
Pronunciation: ' b ī - ə s
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle French biais
Date: 1530
1 : a line diagonal to the grain of a fabric especially : a line at a 45 degree angle to the selvage often utilized in the cutting of garments for smoother fit
2 a : a peculiarity in the shape of a bowl that causes it to swerve when rolled on the green in lawn bowling b : the tendency of a bowl to swerve also : the impulse causing this tendency c : the swerve of the bowl
3 a : BENT , TENDENCY b : an inclination of temperament or outlook especially : a personal and sometimes unreasoned judgment : PREJUDICE c : an instance of such prejudice d (1) : deviation of the expected value of a statistical estimate from the quantity it estimates (2) : systematic error introduced into sampling or testing by selecting or encouraging one outcome or answer over others
4 a : a voltage applied to a device (as a transistor control electrode) to establish a reference level for operation b : a high-frequency voltage combined with an audio signal to reduce distortion in tape recording
synonyms see PREDILECTION
– on the bias : ASKEW , OBLIQUELY