释义 |
group I. \ˈgrüp\ noun (-s) Etymology: French groupe, from Italian gruppo group, knot, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German kropf craw — more at crop 1. : two or more figures (as in sculpture or painting) forming a distinctive unit complete in itself or forming part of a larger composition < the bronze group represents a mortally wounded southern soldier supported by Fame — American Guide Series: North Carolina > < a foreground group of satyrs and nymphs > 2. a. : a relatively small number of individuals assembled or standing together < a group of indifferent bystanders looked on > < groups of prisoners marching to their destination > — compare crowd b. : an assemblage of objects regarded as a unit because of their comparative segregation from others < a group of buildings > < a group of towns … were able to develop increasing commerce with the Near East — Stringfellow Barr > < a group of … highly finished, memorable stories — Paul Pickrel > as (1) : a cluster of islands < the group consists of four tiny islands > < contemplated the investigation of the South Sandwich group — R.N.Rudmose-Brown > (2) : a cluster of hits on a target fired with the same sight setting and the same point of aim 3. : a number of individuals bound together by a community of interest, purpose, or function: as a. (1) : a social unit comprising individuals in continuous contact through intercommunication and shared participation in activities toward some commonly accepted end — see primary group, secondary group (2) : class 1a < a government representative of all the great social groups > < a small group of wealthy families virtually governed the province > (3) : a relatively small number of persons associated formally or informally for a common end or drawn together through an affinity of views or interests : circle < a dance group > < a study group > < a stamp group > < a vanguard group of artists > < there grew up in the universities a group called the “New Critics” — F.O.Baker > b. : a number of students taking part in the same educational or extracurricular activities : class 2b c. : a combination of persons who are usually employees of a single employer and are covered by a blanket or single insurance policy d. : a combination of elected parliamentary representatives bound together by a common program or by a general identity of political views — used especially of a grouping in the French National Assembly e. : a combination of companies or other enterprises having interlocking interests or a single owner or management : syndicate, trust, chain < vary in size from two-paper groups to one which includes 20 papers — F.L.Mott > < the powerful hydroelectric group > f. (1) : an administrative and tactical military unit consisting of a headquarters and two or more battalions not a permanent organic part of the group (2) : a unit of an echelon of the United States Air Force higher than a squadron and lower than a wing and composed of a headquarters and two or more squadrons g. : the basic program unit of Camp Fire Girls consisting of no more than 20 Blue Bird members or camp fire girls and no more than 30 members in a Horizon Club plus a leader and often an assistant leader 4. a. : an assemblage of related organisms < the A group of beta hemolytic streptococci > — often used to avoid taxonomic connotations when the kind or degree of relationship is not clearly defined b. (1) : an assemblage of atoms forming part of a molecule : radical < a methyl group (CH3) > < the alcohol group (OH) > — compare ligand (2) : an assemblage of elements forming one of the vertical columns of the periodic table c. (1) : a stratigraphic division of the first order comprising the rocks deposited during an era — used in the system of nomenclature adopted by the International Geological Congress (2) : a stratigraphic division composed of two or more named formations — used in the system of nomenclature of the United States Geological Survey (3) : a consecutive series of beds or assemblage of related igneous rocks (4) : great soil group d. : a syllable or series of syllables uttered with a single primary or quasi-primary stress : stress-group e. : a set of three or more cards of the same rank in the game of rummy 5. : a mathematical aggregate in which the product of two elements is an element of the aggregate II. verb (-ed/-ing/-s) Etymology: French grouper to group, from groupe, n. transitive verb 1. : to form a group of : cluster < nine tennis courts are grouped at one end of the field — Bulletin of Bates College > < with the other … pilots grouped around him — Ed Cunningham > 2. a. : to combine in a group or in groups : assign to a group : classify < the large class of barbaric ideas grouped under sympathetic magic — Edward Clodd > < her mind was busily assorting and grouping the faces before her — Ellen Glasgow > < grouping liberty of the press with trial by jury — Zechariah Chafee > specifically : to determine the blood group of < after the patient and donor have been grouped — R.L.Haden > b. : to arrange (as figures) in an artistic composition with regard to the aesthetic effect < an oil painting … over the fire: horsemen grouped apprehensively at midnight — Elizabeth Bowen > intransitive verb 1. : to form a group : become a member of a group : belong, harmonize < he groups with Tennyson and Spenser in contrast to Shakespeare and Donne — F.R.Leavis > 2. : to make well-defined groups of hits on a target III. adjective 1. : of or relating to a group : belonging to or shared by the members of a group as a whole : collective < an individual is not responsible for group acts > < a sad absence of group awareness — Julian Huxley > < group discussion > 2. : constituting a unit of syntax composed of a word group < to be in need of meaning “to need” is a group verb > < impossible-to-be-realized in “an impossible-to-be-realized wish” is a group adjunct > < man of honor's in “a man of honor's word” is a group genitive > IV. noun : a mathematical set that is closed under a binary associative operation (as multiplication or addition) and that has an identity element and an inverse for every element |