- proportion
- noun1 part/share of a wholeADJECTIVE▪ appreciable (esp. BrE), considerable, good, great, high, huge, large, overwhelming, significant, sizeable, substantial▪
A significant proportion of the funding is likely to come from government.
▪ fair, reasonable (esp. BrE)▪ low, small, tiny▪ certain▪ equal▪The company employs men and women in roughly equal proportions.
▪ equivalent, similar▪ different, differing, varying▪ fixed▪ exact▪ approximate▪ average▪ overall▪ growing, increasing, rising▪ declining, decreasing, diminishingVERB + PROPORTION▪ calculate, estimate▪ express sth as▪The chart shows government spending expressed as a proportion of national income.
▪ grow as, increase as, rise as▪ decline as, decrease as, diminish as, fall as▪The unskilled section of the working class was diminishing as a proportion of the workforce.
PROPORTION + VERB▪ grow, increase, rise▪ decline, decrease, fall2 relationship between the size/amount of two thingsADJECTIVE▪ correct▪ direct▪ inverse▪The human population in the region is expanding in inverse proportion to the wildlife.
▪ relativeVERB + PROPORTION▪ keep sth in▪Try to keep your view of the situation in proportion (= not think it is more serious than it is).
PREPOSITION▪ in proportion (to)▪The cost of insurance increases in proportion to the performance of the car.
▪ out of proportion (to)▪The costs of the plan are out of proportion to the budget available.
▪ proportion of sth to sth▪The proportion of sand to cement used was three to one.
PHRASES▪ be blown, exaggerated, etc. out of all proportion (esp. BrE), be blown, exaggerated, etc. out of proportion▪This issue was about to be blown out of proportion.
▪The problem has been exaggerated out of all proportion.
▪ a sense of proportion▪Try to keep a sense of proportion (= of the relative importance of different things).
3 proportions size and shape of sthADJECTIVE▪ biblical, enormous, epic, gargantuan, generous, gigantic, heroic, huge, immense, major, mammoth, massive, monumental, staggering▪ modest▪ manageable▪The computer brings the huge task of stock control down to more manageable proportions.
▪ alarming▪ crisis, epidemic▪ classic, perfect▪an entrance hall of perfect proportions
VERB + PROPORTIONS▪ reach▪The food shortage had reached crisis proportions.
Collocations dictionary. 2013.
