Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • Equally; in a manner equal (to).
  • To be or become equal to; be commensurate with; be as great as; correspond to or be on a level with in any respect; be adequate to: as, your share equals mine; no other dramatist equals Shakspere.
  • To make equivalent to; recompense fully; answer in full proportion.
  • To count or consider as equal; make comparable.
  • To be equal; match.
  • Having one measure; the same in magnitude, quantity, degree, amount, worth, value, or excellence.
  • Even; uniform; not variable; equable: as, an equal mind.
  • Having a just relation or proportion; correspondent; commensurate.
  • Impartial; not biased; just; equitable; not unduly favorable to any party: as, the terms and conditions of the contract are equal; equal laws.
  • Of the same interest or concern; of like moment or importance.
  • Adequate; having competent power, ability, or means: with to: as, the army was not equal to the contest; we are not equal to the undertaking.
  • Of the same rank or dignity; having a common level or standing; having the same rights, interests, etc.: as, we are all equal in the sight of God.
  • In botany, symmetrical, as applied to leaves and to various organs of cryptogams; of uniform thickness, as the stipe of an agaric.
  • In entomology, same as equate.
  • Synonyms Equable, regular, unvarying.
  • Proportionate, conformable, equivalent.
  • Fair, even-handed.
  • Fit, competent.
  • noun One who or that which is not different in all or some respects from another; specifically, one who is not inferior or superior to another; a person having the same or a similar age, rank, station, office, talents, strength, etc.
  • noun The state of being equal; equality.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun One not inferior or superior to another; one having the same or a similar age, rank, station, office, talents, strength, or other quality or condition; an equal quantity or number.”
  • noun obsolete State of being equal; equality.
  • adjective Agreeing in quantity, size, quality, degree, value, etc.; having the same magnitude, the same value, the same degree, etc.; -- applied to number, degree, quantity, and intensity, and to any subject which admits of them; neither inferior nor superior, greater nor less, better nor worse; corresponding; alike; ; houses of equal size; persons of equal stature or talents; commodities of equal value.
  • adjective Bearing a suitable relation; of just proportion; having competent power, abilities, or means; adequate.
  • adjective Not variable; equable; uniform; even.
  • adjective Evenly balanced; not unduly inclining to either side; characterized by fairness; unbiased; impartial; equitable; just.
  • adjective Of the same interest or concern; indifferent.
  • adjective (Mus.), rare Intended for voices of one kind only, either all male or all female; -- opposed to mixed.
  • adjective (Math.) Exactly agreeing with respect to quantity.
  • adjective (Mus.) See Temperament.
  • transitive verb To be or become equal to; to have the same quantity, the same value, the same degree or rank, or the like, with; to be commen�urate with.
  • transitive verb To make equal return to; to recompense fully.
  • transitive verb To make equal or equal to; to equalize; hence, to compare or regard as equals; to put on equality.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective not comparable The same in all respects.
  • adjective mathematics, not comparable Exactly identical, having the same value.
  • adjective obsolete Fair, impartial.
  • adjective comparable Adequate; sufficiently capable or qualified.
  • verb mathematics To be equal to, to have the same value as; to correspond to.
  • verb To be equivalent to; to match
  • verb informal To have as its consequence.
  • noun A person or thing of equal status to others.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • verb be identical or equivalent to
  • noun a person who is of equal standing with another in a group
  • verb be equal to in quality or ability
  • adjective having the requisite qualities or resources to meet a task
  • verb make equal, uniform, corresponding, or matching
  • adjective having the same quantity, value, or measure as another

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Latin aequālis.

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