proportion

part of whole 1 [C+sing./pl.v.] a part or share of a whole: Water covers a large proportion of the earth's surface. * Loam is a soil with roughly equal proportions of clay, sand and silt. * The proportion of regular smokers increases with age. * A higher proportion of Americans go on to higher education than is the case in Britain. relationship 2 [U] ~ (of sth to sth) the relationship of one thing to another in size, amount, etc. SYNRATIO: The proportion of men to women in the college has changed dramatically over the years. * The basic ingredients are limestone and clay in the proportion 2:1. * The room is very long in proportion to (= relative to) its width. 3 [U,C,usually pl.] the correct relationship in size, degree, importance, etc. between one thing and another or between the parts of a whole: You haven't drawn the figures in the foreground in proportion. * The head is out of proportion with the body. * an impressive building with fine proportions * Always try to keep a sense of proportion (= of the relative importance of different things). size / shape 4 (proportions) [pl.] the measurements of sth; its size and shape: This method divides the task into more manageable proportions. * a food shortage that could soon reach crisis proportions * a room of fairly generous proportions mathematics 5 [U] the equal relationship between two pairs of numbers, as in the statement '4 is to 8 as 6 is to 12' IDIOMS keep sth in proportion to react to sth in a sensible way and not think it is worse or more serious than it really is: The problem of hooliganism should be kept in proportion. Only a small number of young people act in this way. out of (all) proportion (to sth) larger, more serious, etc. in relation to sth than is necessary or appropriate: They earn salaries out of all proportion to their ability. * The media have blown the incident up out of all proportion. ______________________________ GRAMMARPOINT proportion If proportion is used with an uncountable or a singular noun, the verb is generally singular: A proportion of the land is used for agriculture. If the proportion of is used with a plural countable noun, or a singular noun that represents a group of people, the verb is usually singular, but with a (large, small, etc.) proportion of a plural verb is often used, especially in BrE: The proportion of small cars on America's roads is increasing. * A high proportion of five-year-olds have teeth in poor condition. ______________________________