PARALLEL


Meaning of PARALLEL in English

adj., n., & v.

--adj.

1. a (of lines or planes) side by side and having the same distance continuously between them. b (foll. by to, with) (of a line or plane) having this relation (to another).

2 (of circumstances etc.) precisely similar, analogous, or corresponding.

3 a (of processes etc.) occurring or performed simultaneously. b Computing involving the simultaneous performance of operations.

--n.

1. a person or thing precisely analogous or equal to another.

2 a comparison (drew a parallel between the two situations).

3 (in full parallel of latitude) Geog. a each of the imaginary parallel circles of constant latitude on the earth's surface. b a corresponding line on a map (the 49th parallel).

4 Printing two parallel lines (ll) as a reference mark.

--v.tr. (paralleled, paralleling)

1. be parallel to; correspond to.

2 represent as similar; compare.

3 adduce as a parallel instance.

Phrases and idioms:

in parallel (of electric circuits) arranged so as to join at common points at each end. parallel bars a pair of parallel rails on posts for gymnastics.

Derivatives:

parallelism n.

Etymology: F parall{egrave}le f. L parallelus f. Gk parallelos (as PARA-(1), allelos one another)

Oxford English vocab.      Оксфордский английский словарь.