se|quence

se|quence «SEE kwuhns», noun, verb, -quenced, -quenc|ing.

–n.

1. the act or fact of coming one after another; succession; order of succession: »

Arrange the names in alphabetical sequence. By using the method of priority and sequence a good deal can be learned about how much mechanical invention influences social change (Ogburn and Nimkoff).

SYNONYM(S): See syn. under series. (Cf. ↑series)

2. a connected series: »

a sequence of lessons on one subject.

3. something that follows; result: »

Crime has its sequence of misery.

4. a set of three or more playing cards of the same suit following one after another in order of value.

5. a) part of a motion picture consisting of an episode without breaks. b) any group of scenes of a motion picture taken as a unit.

6. Music. a series of melodic or harmonic phrases repeated three or more times at successive pitches upward or downward.

7. Mathematics. a set of quantities or elements whose order corresponds to the natural order of whole numbers. Example: »

½, ¼, ¹/₈, ¹/₁₆...

8. Also, Sequence. a hymn sung after the Gradual and before the Gospel in the Roman Catholic Church.

–v.t.

1. to arrange in order or sequence: »

to sequence computer data.

2. to determine the order of chemical constituents or DNA units: »

The genomes of bacteria and yeast have been fully sequenced.

╂[< Late Latin sequentia < Latin sequēns; see etym. under sequent (Cf. ↑sequent)]