parallel

par•al•lel

[[t]ˈpær əˌlɛl, -ləl[/t]] adj. n. v. -leled, -lel•ing (esp. brit.)-lelled, -lel•ling,

1) extending in the same direction, equidistant at all points, and never converging or diverging:

parallel rows of chairs[/ex]

2) having the same direction, nature, tendency, or course; corresponding; similar:

parallel interests[/ex]

3) math.

a) (of straight lines) lying in the same plane but never meeting no matter how far extended

b) (of planes) having common perpendiculars

c) (of a single line, plane, etc.) equidistant from another or others (usu. fol. by to or with)

4) having parts that are parallel

5) elm having electrical components connected in parallel:

a parallel circuit[/ex]

6) mad

a) progressing at the same intervalic distance:

parallel lines in music[/ex]

b) sharing the same tonic:

A major and A minor are parallel keys[/ex]

7) cmp

a) of or pertaining to operations within a computer that are performed simultaneously:

parallel processing[/ex]

b) cmp pertaining to or supporting the transfer of electronic data several bits at a time

(disting. from serial 8)).

8) math. a parallel line or plane

9) anything parallel or comparable in direction, course, nature, or tendency, to something else

10) geg any of the imaginary lines bearing E and W on the earth's surface, parallel to the equator, that mark the latitude

11) something identical or similar in essential respects:

a case without a parallel[/ex]

12) correspondence or analogy

13) a comparison of things as if regarded side by side

14) elm an arrangement of an electrical circuit whereby all positive terminals are connected to one point and all negative ones to another

15) pri a pair of vertical parallel lines (||Verbar;) used in printing as a reference mark

16) to provide a parallel for; match

17) to be in a parallel course to:

The road parallels the river[/ex]

18) to form a parallel to; equal

19) to show the similarity of; compare

20) to make parallel

21) in a parallel course or manner

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Etymology: 1540–50; < L parallēlus < Gk parállēlos side by side =par- par- +állēlos one another par′al•lel`ly, adv.