proportion

1 noun

1 AMOUNT (C) a part or share of a larger amount: proportion of sth to sth: The proportion of men to women in the population has changed in recent years.

(+ of): Quite high proportions of their incomes are spent on fuel.

2 NUMBER (C) a number of people or things, considered as a part or share of a larger number

(+ of): Far higher proportions of part-time workers have no health insurance at all. (also + plural verb BrE): A large proportion of the people are illiterate.

3 RELATIONSHIP (C, U) the relationship between the amounts, numbers, or sizes of different things that go together to form a whole: eating the right foods in the right proportions | proportion of sth to sth: The proportion of men to women has changed in recent years. | the proportion of: Make salad dressing in the proportion of three parts oil to one part vinegar.

4 ATTRACTIVENESS (U)

a) the correct relationship between the size, shape and position of the different parts of something, which gives it an attractive appearance: Builders must learn about scale and proportion. | in proportion: Reduce the drawing so that all the elements stay in proportion.

b) the correct relationship between the size or shape of something and the place where it is: out of proportion (to/with): They've built a house that's completely out of proportion with the size of the lot.

5 in proportion (to/with sth) according to a particular relationship in size, amount etc: If you use a whole pineapple, increase the other ingredients in proportion. | Tax is then calculated in proportion to what you earn.

6 in proportion (to sth) when you compare sizes, amounts etc: Her feet are small in proportion to her height.

7 SIZE/IMPORTANCE proportions (plural) the size and shape of something, or the degree to which something is important: a building of classic proportions | It may reduce the task to more manageable proportions. | immense/huge/massive etc proportions: an ecological tragedy of enormous proportions | epic/heroic/mythic proportions: For most of us, Scott was a hero of mythic proportions. | crisis/epidemic etc proportions: a fall in silk prices of catastrophic proportions

8 keep things in proportion to react to a situation sensibly, and not think that it is worse or more serious than it really is: Try to keep things in proportion; you won't die if you don't get the job.

—see also: perspective (2)

9 get/blow things (all) out of proportion to react to a situation as if it is worse or more serious than it really is

10 out of (all) proportion (to sth) a reaction, result, emotion etc that is out of proportion is too strong or great, compared to the situation in which it happens: The fear of violent crime has now risen out of all proportion to the actual risk.

11 sense of proportion the ability to judge what is most important in a situation: keep/lose a sense of proportion: You can protest by all means, but keep a sense of proportion.

12 MATHEMATICS (U) technical equality in the mathematical relationship between two sets of numbers, as in the statement `8 is to 6 as 32 is to 24'

2 verb (transitive usually passive) formal

1 well/badly/beautifully etc proportioned having a size and shape that is either pleasant or unpleasant to look at, or is either right or wrong for its use: a well proportioned room | long, beautifully proportioned legs

2 to make something stay in a particular relationship with something else according to size, amount, position etc: proportion sth to sth: Allowances for expenditure have been proportioned to your income.