— portionable , adj. — portionless , adj.
/pawr"sheuhn, pohr"-/ , n.
1. a part of any whole, either separated from or integrated with it: I read a portion of the manuscript.
2. an amount of food served for one person; serving; helping: He took a large portion of spinach.
3. the part of a whole allotted to or belonging to a person or group; share.
4. the part of an estate that goes to an heir or a next of kin.
5. Literary. something that is allotted to a person by God or fate.
6. (esp. formerly) the money, goods, or estate that a woman brings to her husband at marriage; dowry.
v.t.
7. to divide into or distribute in portions or shares (often fol. by out ).
8. to furnish with a portion, as with an inheritance or a dowry: All of his children have been amply portioned.
9. to provide with a lot or fate: She was portioned with sorrow throughout her life.
[ 1250-1300; ME porcion portion- (s. of portio ) share, part, akin to pars PART ]
Syn. 1. section, segment. See part. 2. ration. 3. allotment, quota, lot, dividend. 4. inheritance. 5. fortune, lot, destiny, doom. 7. allot, apportion. 8. endow.
Ant. 1. whole.