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of growth; development; as, the evolution of a flower from |
of growth; development; as, the evolution of a flower from |
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a bud, or an animal from the egg. |
a bud, or an animal from the egg. |
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evolution of ages.'' --Dr. H. More. |
evolution of ages.'' --Dr. H. More. |
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thread from a curve as an evolute. --Hutton. |
thread from a curve as an evolute. --Hutton. |
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involution. |
involution. |
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or a vessel or fleet; any movement designed to effect a |
or a vessel or fleet; any movement designed to effect a |
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new arrangement or disposition; a maneuver. |
new arrangement or disposition; a maneuver. |
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"Those evolutions are best which can be executed with |
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the greatest celerity, compatible with regularity." |
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--Campbell. |
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--Campbell. |
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(a) A general name for the history of the steps by which |
(a) A general name for the history of the steps by which |
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any living organism has acquired the morphological and |
any living organism has acquired the morphological and |
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developed, but not actually formed, by the procreative |
developed, but not actually formed, by the procreative |
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act; -- opposed to epigenesis. |
act; -- opposed to epigenesis. |
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involves continuous progress from the homogeneous to the |
involves continuous progress from the homogeneous to the |
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heterogeneous in structure, and from the single and simple |
heterogeneous in structure, and from the single and simple |
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product of human activity. The agencies and laws of the |
product of human activity. The agencies and laws of the |
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process are variously explained by different philosophrs. |
process are variously explained by different philosophrs. |
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--Gladstone. |
--Gladstone. |
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From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]: |
From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]: |
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evolution |
evolution |
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1: a process in which something passes by degrees to a |
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different stage (especially a more advanced or mature |
different stage (especially a more advanced or mature |
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stage); "the development of his ideas took many years"; |
stage); "the development of his ideas took many years"; |
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of organisms [syn: {phylogeny}, {phylogenesis}] |
of organisms [syn: {phylogeny}, {phylogenesis}] |
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"All over the world people are screaming [[Revolution]] but in Fife, Alabama their screaming 'Evolution!!' and 'We want our thumbs!!'" --[[Bill Hicks]] |
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[[Category:Science]] |
[[Category:Science]] |
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[[Category:Definitions]] |
[[Category:Definitions]] |
Revision as of 20:12, 19 March 2005
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]:
Evolution \Ev`o*lu"tion\, n. [L. evolutio an unrolling: cf. F. ['e]volution evolution. See {Evolve}.] 1. The act of unfolding or unrolling; hence, in the process of growth; development; as, the evolution of a flower from a bud, or an animal from the egg. 2. A series of things unrolled or unfolded. ``The whole evolution of ages. --Dr. H. More. 3. (Geom.) The formation of an involute by unwrapping a thread from a curve as an evolute. --Hutton. 4. (Arith. & Alg.) The extraction of roots; -- the reverse of involution. 5. (Mil. & Naval) A prescribed movement of a body of troops, or a vessel or fleet; any movement designed to effect a new arrangement or disposition; a maneuver. "Those evolutions are best which can be executed with the greatest celerity, compatible with regularity." --Campbell. 6. (Biol.) (a) A general name for the history of the steps by which any living organism has acquired the morphological and physiological characters which distinguish it; a gradual unfolding of successive phases of growth or development. (b) That theory of generation which supposes the germ to pre["e]xist in the parent, and its parts to be developed, but not actually formed, by the procreative act; -- opposed to epigenesis. 7. (Metaph.) That series of changes under natural law which involves continuous progress from the homogeneous to the heterogeneous in structure, and from the single and simple to the diverse and manifold in quality or function. The pocess is by some limited to organic beings; by others it is applied to the inorganic and the psychical. It is also applied to explain the existence and growth of institutions, manners, language, civilization, and every product of human activity. The agencies and laws of the process are variously explained by different philosophrs. "Evolution is to me series with development." --Gladstone.
From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:
evolution 1: a process in which something passes by degrees to a different stage (especially a more advanced or mature stage); "the development of his ideas took many years"; "the evolution of Greek civilization"; "the slow development of her skill as a writer" [syn: {development}] [ant: {degeneration}] 2: (biology) the sequence of events involved in the evolutionary development of a species or taxonomic group of organisms [syn: {phylogeny}, {phylogenesis}]
"All over the world people are screaming Revolution but in Fife, Alabama their screaming 'Evolution!!' and 'We want our thumbs!!'" --Bill Hicks