PERSPECTIVE


Meaning of PERSPECTIVE in English

— perspectival , adj. — perspectived , adj. — perspectiveless , adj. — perspectively , adv.

/peuhr spek"tiv/ , n.

1. a technique of depicting volumes and spatial relationships on a flat surface. Cf. aerial perspective, linear perspective .

2. a picture employing this technique, esp. one in which it is prominent: an architect's perspective of a house.

3. a visible scene, esp. one extending to a distance; vista: a perspective on the main axis of an estate.

4. the state of existing in space before the eye: The elevations look all right, but the building's composition is a failure in perspective.

5. the state of one's ideas, the facts known to one, etc., in having a meaningful interrelationship: You have to live here a few years to see local conditions in perspective.

6. the faculty of seeing all the relevant data in a meaningful relationship: Your data is admirably detailed but it lacks perspective.

7. a mental view or prospect: the dismal perspective of terminally ill patients.

adj.

8. of or pertaining to the art of perspective, or represented according to its laws.

[ 1350-1400; ME perspectiva ( ars ) optical (science), perspectivum optical glass, n. uses of fem. and neut. of perspectivus optical, equiv. to L perspect-, ptp. s. of perspicere to look at closely (see PER-, INSPECT) + -ivus -IVE ]

Random House Webster's Unabridged English dictionary.      Полный английский словарь Вебстер - Random House .