An established, habitual, logical, or prescribed practice or systematic process of achieving certain ends with accuracy and efficiency, usually in an ordered sequence of fixed steps. See also scientific method and procedure.
A perceived gap between the existing state and a desired state, or a deviation from a norm, standard, or status quo. Although many problems turn out to have several solutions (the means to close the gap or correct the deviation), difficulties arise where such means are either not obvious or are not immediately available.
1. the chief male servant of a household, usually in charge of serving food, the care of silverware, etc. 2. a male servant having charge of the wines and liquors.
1. a numerical symbol, especially an Arabic numeral. 2. an amount or value expressed in numbers. 3. figures, the use of numbers in calculating; arithmetic: to be poor at figures.…
1. a play, movie, etc., of light and humorous character with a happy or cheerful ending; a dramatic work in which the central motif is the triumph over adverse circumstance, resulting in a successful or happy conclusion. 2. that branch of the drama which concerns itself with this form of composition.
1. Biology. an aggregate of similar cells and cell products forming a definite kind of structural material with a specific function, in a multicellular organism. 2. tissue paper. 3. any of several kinds of soft gauzy papers used for various purposes:…
noun 1. a pungent powder or paste prepared from the seed of the mustard plant, used as a food seasoning or condiment, and medicinally in plasters, poultices, etc. 2. any of various acrid or pungent plants, especially of the genus Brassica, as B. juncea (leaf mustard) the leaves of which are used for food and B. nigra (black mustard) the c…
1. a device in a loom for passing or shooting the weft thread through the shed from one side of the web to the other, usually consisting of a boat-shaped piece of wood containing a bobbin on which the weft thread is wound. 2. the sliding container that carries the lower thread in a sewing machine. 3.…
1. to move or bring forward: The general advanced his troops to the new position. 2. to bring into consideration or notice; suggest; propose: to advance reasons for a tax cut.