proportion
/prəˈpɔːʃn/ (bre, ipa) · /prəˈpɔːrʃn/ (ame, ipa) · /prə-ˈpȯr-shən/ (ame, mw)
proportion — noun
- proportionsingular
- proportionsplural
1. a share or part of a total amount, shown by comparing its size against the full
a share or part of a total amount, shown by comparing its size against the full thing it belongs to
A large proportion of the budget goes to education and health care.
proportion + of + noun
Only a small proportion of applicants received an interview invitation.
The survey found that the proportion of older workers has risen steadily since 2010.
Women make up a growing proportion of students in engineering programmes.
Arjun calculated what proportion of the pizza each child should get.
- share
more general; does not necessarily imply a numerical comparison to a whole
- percentage
always stated as a number out of 100; narrower than proportion
- fraction
emphasises the part-whole relationship in mathematical terms
文法句型
proportion + of + noun
常見錯誤
2. the relationship between two things expressed by comparing their sizes, numbers,
the relationship between two things expressed by comparing their sizes, numbers, or levels against each other
The proportion of men to women in the class was roughly three to one.
proportion + of + noun + to + noun
Dario checked the proportion of sugar to flour before baking the cake.
The village has a much higher proportion of elderly residents than the national average.
Astrid noticed that the proportion of time spent on meetings kept growing each month.
- ratio
more precise in technical and mathematical contexts; used with numbers
- rate
usually compares change over time or frequency of events
- relationship
less precise and not necessarily numerical
文法句型
proportion + of + noun + to + noun
proportion + of + noun + and + noun
用法筆記
Unlike sense 1, this sense compares two independent quantities rather than a part to its whole. The pattern 'proportion of X to Y' is specific to this sense.
常見錯誤
3. the way that different parts of an object, building, or image relate to each oth
the way that different parts of an object, building, or image relate to each other in size, creating a pleasing or balanced appearance
The architect designed the house with perfect proportion between the rooms and the windows.
proportion between + plural nouns
Jessica admired the classical statue for its grace and sense of proportion.
The painting feels wrong because the figures are out of proportion with the background.
Valentina adjusted the drawing until the head and body were in proportion.
- imbalance
lack of proportion or equilibrium between parts
文法句型
in proportion
out of proportion
用法筆記
Often used in the fixed phrase 'in proportion' or 'out of proportion' to describe how parts of a design relate to each other aesthetically.
4. the general size, scale, or extent of something, especially when describing how
the general size, scale, or extent of something, especially when describing how large or significant it is
The charity faced a crisis of enormous proportions after the earthquake.
of + adjective + proportions
Jiwoo was surprised by the true proportions of the building once she stood beside it.
The flooding reached catastrophic proportions across three provinces.
Romi could not grasp the proportions of the crowd from her hotel window.
文法句型
of + adjective + proportions
proportions of + noun
用法筆記
Very often used in the plural form 'proportions' with an adjective to describe the scale or seriousness of something, especially in news reports.
5. the degree of importance or seriousness that someone attaches to a situation, ev
the degree of importance or seriousness that someone attaches to a situation, event, or problem, especially in fixed phrases about keeping a balanced view
Talia tried to keep the argument in proportion and not let small things upset her.
keep + noun + in proportion
The media coverage was out of all proportion to the actual incident.
Obi warned his team not to blow the mistake out of proportion.
A person with a sense of proportion knows when to laugh at their own problems.
- perspective
similar meaning but focuses on seeing things clearly rather than evaluating size or seriousness
文法句型
in proportion + to + noun
out of proportion + to + noun
用法筆記
This sense almost exclusively appears in fixed expressions. The phrase 'out of (all) proportion' usually takes 'to' to introduce the point of comparison.
常見錯誤
6. a mathematical statement showing that two ratios are equal, written as an equati
a mathematical statement showing that two ratios are equal, written as an equation that compares one pair of numbers with another, such as 4/2 = 10/5
The teacher wrote a proportion on the board to show how two ratios match.
Darius solved the proportion by cross-multiplying the numbers in the equation.
solve + proportion + by + verb-ing
Amira explained that a proportion states that the fraction 3/6 is the same as 1/2.
In the proportion 8/12 = 2/3, the numbers 8 and 3 are called the extremes.
- equation
broader; any mathematical statement showing equality, not limited to ratios
文法句型
proportion + stating + that-clause
用法筆記
A specialised mathematical term. In this sense proportion is always a statement of equality between two ratios, not a single ratio by itself.
常見錯誤
proportion — verb
- proportionpresent simple I / you / we / they
- proportions3rd person singular
- proportioning-ing form
- proportionedpast simple
1. to make something the right size or amount for the situation it is in, so that i
to make something the right size or amount for the situation it is in, so that it fits or works well with other things around it
The benefits are proportioned according to how many years each worker has contributed.
passive: proportioned according to + noun
Obi proportioned the servings so that every guest got an equal share of the meal.
The company proportioned its spending to match the expected income for the quarter.
The shelves were proportioned to fit exactly inside the narrow alcove in the hallway.
文法句型
proportion + noun + to + noun
be proportioned + adverb
用法筆記
Often used in the passive voice. The pattern 'proportion something to something' specifies what the adjustment is based on.
2. to shape or arrange the parts of something so that they create a balanced, attra
to shape or arrange the parts of something so that they create a balanced, attractive whole
The sculpture is beautifully proportioned, with every curve flowing into the next.
be beautifully proportioned
Valentina proportioned the garden so that the tall plants sat behind the shorter ones.
The rooms in the old house were oddly proportioned, with tiny windows and high ceilings.
The well-proportioned doorway gave the entrance a sense of elegance and calm.
文法句型
be well proportioned
be beautifully proportioned
用法筆記
Very commonly appears as the past participle 'proportioned' modified by an adverb such as 'well', 'beautifully', 'perfectly', or 'oddly'.
3. to divide and give out an amount or share of something among different people, g
to divide and give out an amount or share of something among different people, groups, or uses in a planned way
The committee proportioned the remaining funds among the three charities equally.
proportion + noun + among + plural noun
The estate was proportioned between the two daughters according to their father's final instructions.
Each region will receive resources proportioned on the basis of its population size.
The inheritance was proportioned fairly among all five grandchildren.
- apportion
more common in modern usage; identical meaning
- allocate
broader; can mean reserving resources without physically dividing them
- distribute
general term for giving things out, not necessarily in planned shares
- withhold
to keep back rather than give out
文法句型
proportion + noun + among/between + plural noun
用法筆記
A formal and relatively rare sense, used mainly in legal, financial, or administrative contexts. 'Apportion' is more common for this meaning.