de|duc|tion

de|duc|tion
de|duc|tion «dih DUHK shuhn», noun.
1. the act of taking away; subtraction: »

No deduction from one's pay is made for absence due to illness.

SYNONYM(S): reduction.
2. an amount deducted: »

There was a deduction of $50 from the bill for damage caused by the movers.

SYNONYM(S): rebate, discount.
3. a reaching of conclusions by reasoning; inference. A person using deduction reasons from general laws to particular cases. Example: All animals die; this cat is an animal; therefore, this cat will die.
4. a thing deduced; conclusion: »

Sherlock Holmes reached his clever deductions by careful study of the facts.

Usage Deduction, induction are names of opposite processes of reasoning, the two ways in which we think. Deduction applies to the process by which one starts with a general principle that is accepted as true, applies it to a particular case, and arrives at a conclusion that is true if the starting principle was true, as in »

All female mammals secrete milk; this is a female mammal; therefore, this will secrete milk.

Induction applies to the process by which one collects many particular cases, finds out by experiment what is common to all of them, and forms a general rule or principle which is probably true, as in »

Every female mammal I have tested secreted milk; probably all female mammals secrete milk.


Useful english dictionary. 2012.

Игры ⚽ Поможем решить контрольную работу

Look at other dictionaries:

  • ab|duc|tion — «ab DUHK shuhn», noun. 1. the unlawful carrying off of anyone by force or by trickery; kidnaping. 2. the pulling away of a part of the body from its normal position. 3. Logic. a syllogism where the minor premise has no proof …   Useful english dictionary

  • ad|duc|tion — «uh DUHK shuhn», noun. 1. an adducing; bringing forward arguments. 2. an adducting; a pulling a part of the body inward …   Useful english dictionary

  • con|duc|tion — «kuhn DUHK shuhn», noun. 1. a) the transmission of heat, sound, or other form of energy, by the transferring of energy from one particle to another. Radiators heat the air in a room by conduction. »Conduction is the process by which heat is… …   Useful english dictionary

  • e|duc|tion — «ih DUHK shuhn», noun. 1. the act of educing. 2. something educed; educt. 3. an exhaust, such as that of steam after some device has completed its work …   Useful english dictionary

  • in|duc|tion — «ihn DUHK shuhn», noun. 1. a) the process by which an object having electrical or magnetic properties produces similar properties in a nearby object, usually without direct contact; inductance: »Induction can give a conductor a permanent… …   Useful english dictionary

  • pro|duc|tion|al — «pruh DUHK shuh nuhl», adjective. of or having to do with production …   Useful english dictionary

  • pro|duc|tion — «pruh DUHK shuhn», noun. 1. a) the act of producing; manufacture; creation: »His business is the production of automobiles. A farmer s business is the production of food. Chile…ranks as a leader in total copper production (Preston E. James). b)… …   Useful english dictionary

  • re|duc|tion|al — «rih DUHK shuh nuhl», adjective. of or having to do with reduction …   Useful english dictionary

  • re|duc|tion — «rih DUHK shuhn», noun. 1. the action or process of reducing or state of being reduced: »a reduction of 10 pounds in weight. Failure to obey orders caused the corporal s reduction to the rank of private. 2. the amount by which a thing is reduced …   Useful english dictionary

  • se|duc|tion — «sih DUHK shuhn», noun. 1. the act of seducing. 2. the condition of being seduced. 3. something that seduces; temptation; attraction. SYNONYM(S): enticement. ╂[< Latin sēductiō, ōnis < sēdūcere; see etym. under seduce …   Useful english dictionary

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”