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Portion vs Meal - What's the difference?

portion | meal |

In transitive terms the difference between portion and meal

is that portion is to endow with a portion or inheritance while meal is to defile or taint.

portion

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • An allocated amount.
  • That which is divided off or separated, as a part from a whole; a separated part of anything.
  • One's fate; lot.
  • * Bible, Luke xii. 46
    • The lord of that servant will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers.
  • * Keble
    • Man's portion is to die and rise again.
  • The part of an estate given or falling to a child or heir; an inheritance.
  • * Bible, Luke xv. 12
    • Give me the portion of goods that falleth to me.
  • A wife's fortune; a dowry.
  • * 1613 , , V. iv. 31:
    • Commend me to her, and to piece her portion / Tender her this.

    Usage notes

    Relatively formal, compared to the more informal part or more concrete and casual piece. For example, “part of the money” (both informal) but “portion of the proceeds” (both formal).

    Synonyms

    * part * piece

    Derived terms

    * portionless * proportion

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To divide into amounts, as for allocation to specific purposes.
  • To endow with a portion or inheritance.
    • Him portioned maids, apprenticed orphans, blest. — Alexander Pope.

    Usage notes

    * Particularly used as portion out. * Relatively formal, compared to the more informal divide, divide up, or the casual divvy, divvy up.

    Synonyms

    * divide, divide up * divvy, divvy up

    Derived terms

    * portion off * portion out

    External links

    * * ----

    meal

    English

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl), from (etyl) .

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (senseid)Food that is prepared and eaten, usually at a specific time (e.g. breakfast = morning meal, lunch = noon meal, etc).
  • * {{quote-magazine, year=2013, month=July-August, author=(Henry Petroski)
    • , title= Geothermal Energy , volume=101, issue=4, magazine=(American Scientist) , passage=Energy has seldom been found where we need it when we want it. Ancient nomads, wishing to ward off the evening chill and enjoy a meal around a campfire, had to collect wood and then spend time and effort coaxing the heat of friction out from between sticks to kindle a flame. With more settled people, animals were harnessed to capstans or caged in treadmills to turn grist into meal.}}
  • Food served or eaten as a repast.
  • * {{quote-magazine, year=2012, month=March-April, author=Anna Lena Phillips, volume=100, issue=2, page=172
    • , magazine=(American Scientist) , title= Sneaky Silk Moths , passage=Last spring, the periodical cicadas emerged across eastern North America. Their vast numbers and short above-ground life spans inspired awe and irritation in humans—and made for good meals for birds and small mammals.}}
    Hyponyms
    * See also
    Derived terms
    * make a meal of * meal mob * meal station * meal ticket

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl) mele, from (etyl) . More at (l).

    Noun

    (-)
  • The coarse-ground edible part of various grains often used to feed animals; flour.
  • * {{quote-magazine, year=2013, month=July-August, author=(Henry Petroski)
    • , title= Geothermal Energy , volume=101, issue=4, magazine=(American Scientist) , passage=Ancient nomads, wishing to ward off the evening chill and enjoy a meal around a campfire, had to collect wood and then spend time and effort coaxing the heat of friction out from between sticks to kindle a flame. With more settled people, animals were harnessed to capstans or caged in treadmills to turn grist into meal .}}
    Derived terms
    * mealy * cornmeal * oatmeal

    Etymology 3

    Variation of mole (compare (etyl) mail), from (etyl) mole, mool, from (etyl) . More at (l).

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A speck or spot.
  • A part; a fragment; a portion.

    • Verb

    (en verb)
  • To defile or taint.
    • Were he meal'd with that / Which he corrects, than were he tyrannous. ? Shakespeare.

    Anagrams

    * 1000 English basic words ----