Re*duc"tion (r?*d?k"sh?n), n. [F. r'eduction, L. reductio. See Reduce.] 1. The act of reducing, or state of being reduced; conversion to a given state or condition; diminution; conquest; as, the reduction of a body to powder; the reduction of things to order; the reduction of the expenses of government; the reduction of a rebellious province.
2. Arith. & Alq. The act or process of reducing. See Reduce, v. t., 6. and To reduce an equation, To reduce an expression, under Reduce, v. t.
3. Astron. (a) The correction of observations for known errors of instruments, etc. (b) The preparation of the facts and measurements of observations in order to deduce a general result.
4. The process of making a copy of something, as a figure, design, or draught, on a smaller scale, preserving the proper proportions.
Fairholt.
5. Logic The bringing of a syllogism in one of the so-called imperfect modes into a mode in the first figure.
6. Chem. & Metal. The act, process, or result of reducing; as, the reduction of iron from its ores; the reduction of aldehyde from alcohol.
7. Med. The operation of restoring a dislocated or fractured part to its former place.
Reduction ascending Arith., the operation of changing numbers of a lower into others of a higher denomination, as cents to dollars. -- Reduction descending Arith., the operation of changing numbers of a higher into others of a lower denomination, as dollars to cents.
Syn. -- Diminution; decrease; abatement; curtailment; subjugation; conquest; subjection.
© Webster 1913. | 
