process

proc·ess¹ (pr

, pr

)

n. pl. proc·ess·es (pr

z, pr

-, pr

-s

, pr

1. A series of actions, changes, or functions bringing about a result: the process of digestion; the process of obtaining a driver's license.

2. A series of operations performed in the making or treatment of a product: a manufacturing process; leather dyed during the tanning process.

3. Progress; passage: the process of time; events now in process.

4. Law The entire course of a judicial proceeding.

5. Law

a. A summons or writ ordering a defendant to appear in court.

b. The total quantity of summonses or writs issued in a particular proceeding.

6. Biology An outgrowth of tissue; a projecting part: a bony process.

7. Any of various photomechanical or photoengraving methods.

8. Computer Science

a. A running software program or other computing operation.

b. A part of a running software program or other computing operation that does a single task.

9. See conk³.

tr.v. proc·essed, proc·ess·ing, proc·ess·es

1. To put through the steps of a prescribed procedure: processing newly arrived immigrants; process an order.

2. To prepare, treat, or convert by subjecting to a special process: process ore to obtain minerals.

3. Law

a. To serve with a summons or writ.

b. To institute legal proceedings against; prosecute.

4. Computer Science To perform operations on (data).

5. To gain an understanding or acceptance of; come to terms with: processed the traumatic event in therapy.

6. To straighten (hair) by a chemical process; conk.

adj.

1. Prepared or converted by a special process: process cheese.

2. Made by or used in any of several photomechanical or photoengraving processes: a process print.

[Middle English proces, from Old French, development, from Latin prcessus, from past participle of prcdere, to advance; see proceed.]

Usage Note: In recent years there has been a tendency to pronounce the plural ending -es of processes as (-

z), perhaps by analogy with words of Greek origin such as analysis and neurosis. But process is not of Greek origin, and there is no etymological justification for this pronunciation of its plural. However, because this pronunciation is not uncommon even in educated speech, it is generally considered an acceptable variant, although it still strikes some listeners as a bungled affectation. In a recent survey 79 percent of the Usage Panel preferred the standard pronunciation (-

z) for the plural ending -es and 15 percent preferred the pronunciation (-

z).·Although the pronunciation for process with a long (o), (pr

), is more usual in British English, it is an acceptable variant in American English.

process ¹

Noun

1. a series of actions or changes: a process of genuine national reconciliation

2. a series of natural developments which result in an overall change: the ageing process

3. a method of doing or producing something: the various production processes use up huge amounts of water

4. in the process of during or in the course of

a. a summons to appear in court

b. an action at law

6. a natural outgrowth or projection of a part or organism

Verb

1. to handle or prepare by a special method of manufacture

2. Computers to perform operations on (data) in order to obtain the required information [Latin processus an advancing]

process ²

Verb

to move in an orderly or ceremonial group: the cult members processed through the streets to the music of tambourines

ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms

Noun	1.	process - a particular course of action intended to achieve a result; "the procedure of obtaining a driver's license"; "it was a process of trial and error" procedure Bertillon system - a system or procedure for identifying persons fingerprinting - the procedure of taking inked impressions of a person's fingerprints for the purpose of identification genetic fingerprinting, genetic profiling - the procedure of analyzing the DNA in samples of a person's body tissue or body fluid for the purpose of identification diagnostic procedure, diagnostic technique - a procedure followed in making a medical diagnosis emergency procedure - (medicine) a procedure adopted to meet an emergency (especially a medical emergency) experimental procedure - the specific techniques used in conducting a particular experiment activity - any specific behavior; "they avoided all recreational activity" calculation, computation, computing - the procedure of calculating; determining something by mathematical or logical methods medical procedure - a procedure employed by medical or dental practitioners chromosome mapping, mapping - (genetics) the process of locating genes on a chromosome operating procedure - a procedure for operating something or for dealing with a given situation stiffening - the act of becoming stiff; "stiffening his shoulders, he prepared to advance" indirection - indirect procedure or action; "he tried to find out by indirection" rigamarole, rigmarole - a long and complicated and confusing procedure; "all that academic rigmarole was a waste of time" modus operandi, routine - an unvarying or habitual method or procedure experimental condition, condition - the procedure that is varied in order to estimate a variable's effect by comparison with a control condition formula, rule - (mathematics) a standard procedure for solving a class of mathematical problems; "he determined the upper bound with Descartes' rule of signs"; "he gave us a general formula for attacking polynomials"
	2.	process - (psychology) the performance of some composite cognitive activity; an operation that affects mental contents; "the process of thinking"; "the cognitive operation of remembering" cognitive operation, cognitive process, mental process, operation cognition, knowledge, noesis - the psychological result of perception and learning and reasoning basic cognitive process - cognitive processes involved in obtaining and storing knowledge higher cognitive process - cognitive processes that presuppose the availability of knowledge and put it to use psychological science, psychology - the science of mental life
	3.	process - a writ issued by authority of law; usually compels the defendant's attendance in a civil suit; failure to appear results in a default judgment against the defendant summons judicial writ, writ - (law) a legal document issued by a court or judicial officer citation - a summons that commands the appearance of a party at a proceeding process of monition, monition - a summons issued after the filing of a libel or claim directing all parties concerned to show cause why the judgment asked for should not be granted ticket - a summons issued to an offender (especially to someone who violates a traffic regulation) law, jurisprudence - the collection of rules imposed by authority; "civilization presupposes respect for the law"; "the great problem for jurisprudence to allow freedom while enforcing order"
	4.	process - a mental process that you are not directly aware of; "the process of denial" unconscious process cognition, knowledge, noesis - the psychological result of perception and learning and reasoning sleep talking, somniloquism, somniloquy - uttering speech while asleep condensation - (psychoanalysis) an unconscious process whereby two ideas or images combine into a single symbol; especially in dreams defence, defence mechanism, defence reaction, defense mechanism, defense reaction, defense - (psychiatry) an unconscious process that tries to reduce the anxiety associated with instinctive desires
	5.	process - a natural prolongation or projection from a part of an organism either animal or plant; "a bony process" appendage, outgrowth horn - one of the bony outgrowths on the heads of certain ungulates horn - any hard protuberance from the head of an organism that is similar to or suggestive of a horn crest - a showy growth of e.g. feathers or skin on the head of a bird or other animal pseudopod, pseudopodium - temporary outgrowth used by some microorganisms as an organ of feeding or locomotion flagellum - a lash-like appendage used for locomotion (e.g., in sperm cells and some bacteria and protozoa) hair - a filamentous projection or process on an organism cirrus - a slender flexible animal appendage as on barnacles or crinoids or many insects; often tactile spine - a sharp rigid animal process or appendage; as a porcupine quill or a ridge on a bone or a ray of a fish fin aculea - small spiny outgrowth on the wings of certain insects style - a slender bristlelike or tubular process; "a cartilaginous style" villus - a minute hairlike projection on mucous membrane tail - the posterior part of the body of a vertebrate especially when elongated and extending beyond the trunk or main part of the body fetlock - projection behind and above a horse's hoof tentacle - any of various elongated tactile or prehensile flexible organs that occur on the head or near the mouth in many animals; used for feeling or grasping or locomotion arista - bristlelike process near the tip of the antenna of certain flies body part - any part of an organism such as an organ or extremity acromial process, acromion - the outermost point of the spine of the shoulder blade ala - a flat wing-shaped process or winglike part of an organism; "the alae of the nose"; "the alae of a maple seed"; "the flat petals of a pea blossom are alae" alveolar arch - the part of the upper or lower jawbones in which the teeth are set alveolar process, alveolar ridge, gum ridge - a ridge that forms the borders of the upper and lower jaws and contains the sockets of the teeth acrosome - a process at the anterior end of a sperm cell that produces enzymes to facilitate penetration of the egg caruncle, caruncula - an outgrowth on a plant or animal such as a fowl's wattle or a protuberance near the hilum of certain seeds condyle - a round bump on a bone where it forms a joint with another bone coronoid process, processus coronoideus - a sharp triangular process projecting from a bone epicondyle - a projection on a bone above a condyle serving for the attachment of muscles and ligaments fimbria - thin projections forming a fringe (especially around the ovarian end of the Fallopian tube) apophysis - (anatomy) a natural outgrowth or projection on an organ or body part such as the process of a vertebra spicule, spiculum - small pointed structure serving as a skeletal element in various marine and freshwater invertebrates e.g. sponges and corals osteophyte - small abnormal bony outgrowth papilla - a small projection of tissue at the base of a hair or tooth or feather papilla - a small nipple-shaped protuberance concerned with taste, touch, or smell; "the papillae of the tongue" cecal appendage, vermiform appendix, vermiform process, appendix - a vestigial process that extends from the lower end of the cecum and that resembles a small pouch mastoid, mastoid bone, mastoid process, mastoidal - process of the temporal bone behind the ear at the base of the skull styloid process - extends from the base of the temporal bone pterygoid process - two bony processes descending from the body of the sphenoid bone tuberosity, eminence, tubercle - a protuberance on a bone especially for attachment of a muscle or ligament zygomatic process - a slender process of the temporal bone that strengthens the zygomatic arch trochanter - one of the bony prominences developed near the upper extremity of the femur to which muscles are attached transverse process - one of two processes that extend from each vertebra and provide the point of articulation for the ribs odontoid process - a toothlike process at the back of 2nd vertebra of the neck metaphysis - the growing part of a long bone between the diaphysis and the epiphysis
	6.	process - a sustained phenomenon or one marked by gradual changes through a series of states; "events now in process"; "the process of calcification begins later for boys than for girls" physical process physical entity - an entity that has physical existence phenomenon - any state or process known through the senses rather than by intuition or reasoning chelation - (medicine) the process of removing a heavy metal from the bloodstream by means of a chelate as in treating lead or mercury poisoning dealignment - a process whereby voters are moved toward nonpartisanship thus weakening the structure of political parties decrease, decrement - a process of becoming smaller or shorter degeneration, devolution - the process of declining from a higher to a lower level of effective power or vitality or essential quality evolution, development - 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" economic process - any process affecting the production and development and management of material wealth encapsulation - the process of enclosing (as in a capsule) instruction execution, execution - (computer science) the process of carrying out an instruction by a computer human process - a process in which human beings are involved increment, growth, increase - a process of becoming larger or longer or more numerous or more important; "the increase in unemployment"; "the growth of population" industrial process - a systematic series of mechanical or chemical operations that produce or manufacture something irreversible process - any process that is not reversible looping, iteration - (computer science) executing the same set of instructions a given number of times or until a specified result is obtained; "the solution is obtained by iteration" iteration, loop - (computer science) a single execution of a set of instructions that are to be repeated; "the solution took hundreds of iterations" natural action, natural process, action, activity - a process existing in or produced by nature (rather than by the intent of human beings); "the action of natural forces"; "volcanic activity" functioning, performance, operation - process or manner of functioning or operating; "the power of its engine determines its operation"; "the plane's operation in high winds"; "they compared the cooking performance of each oven"; "the jet's performance conformed to high standards" biological process, organic process - a process occurring in living organisms photography - the process of producing images of objects on photosensitive surfaces processing - preparing or putting through a prescribed procedure; "the processing of newly arrived immigrants"; "the processing of ore to obtain minerals" reversible process - any process in which a system can be made to pass through the same states in the reverse order when the process is reversed sensitisation, sensitization - (psychology) the process of becoming highly sensitive to specific events or situations (especially emotional events or situations) defining, shaping - any process serving to define the shape of something variation - the process of varying or being varied
Verb	1.	process - subject to a process or treatment, with the aim of readying for some purpose, improving, or remedying a condition; "process cheese"; "process hair"; "treat the water so it can be drunk"; "treat the lawn with chemicals" ; "treat an oil spill" treat propagate - cause to propagate, as by grafting or layering affect, bear upon, impact, bear on, touch on, touch - have an effect upon; "Will the new rules affect me?" iodise, iodize - treat with iodine; "iodize salt" nitrate - treat with nitric acid, so as to change an organic compound into a nitrate; "nitroglycerin is obtained by nitrating glycerol" tank - treat in a tank; "tank animal refuse" oxygenate, oxygenise, oxygenize, aerate - impregnate, combine, or supply with oxygen; "oxygenate blood" mercerise, mercerize - treat to strengthen and improve the luster; "mercerize cotton" malt - treat with malt or malt extract; "malt beer" fluoridate, fluoridise, fluoridize - subject to fluoridation; treat with fluoride; "fluoridized water"; "fluoridize the teeth of children" creosote - treat with creosote; "creosoted wood" chlorinate - treat or combine with chlorine; "chlorinated water" carbonate - treat with carbon dioxide; "Carbonated soft drinks" camphorate - treat with camphor bromate, brominate - treat with bromine ammoniate - treat with ammonia irradiate, ray - expose to radiation; "irradiate food" scald - treat with boiling water; "scald tomatoes so that they can be peeled" refine - treat or prepare so as to put in a usable condition; "refine paper stock"; "refine pig iron"; "refine oil" nitrogenise, nitrogenize, nitrify - treat with nitrogen or a nitrogen compound reverberate - treat, process, heat, melt, or refine in a reverberatory furnace; "reverberate ore" curry - treat by incorporating fat; "curry tanned leather" seed - sprinkle with silver iodide particles to disperse and cause rain; "seed clouds" dose - treat with an agent; add (an agent) to; "The ray dosed the paint" sulfur, sulphur - treat with sulphur in order to preserve; "These dried fruits are sulphured" vulcanise, vulcanize - subject to vulcanization; "vulcanized rubber" chrome - treat with a chromium compound bituminise, bituminize - treat with bitumen Agenise, Agenize - age or bleach flour with Agene (nitrogen trichloride) run - cause to perform; "run a subject"; "run a process" carboxylate - treat (a chemical compound) with carboxyl or carboxylic acid beneficiate - process (ores or other raw materials), as by reduction digest - convert food into absorbable substances; "I cannot digest milk products" fumigate, fume - treat with fumes, expose to fumes, especially with the aim of disinfecting or eradicating pests air-condition - control the humidity and temperature of; "The room was cool because it had been air-conditioned"
	2.	process - deal with in a routine way; "I'll handle that one"; "process a loan"; "process the applicants" handle, manage, care, deal - be in charge of, act on, or dispose of; "I can deal with this crew of workers"; "This blender can't handle nuts"; "She managed her parents' affairs after they got too old"
	3.	process - perform mathematical and logical operations on (data) according to programmed instructions in order to obtain the required information; "The results of the elections were still being processed when he gave his acceptance speech" compute, calculate, cipher, cypher, figure, reckon, work out - make a mathematical calculation or computation
	4.	process - institute legal proceedings against; file a suit against; "He was warned that the district attorney would process him"; "She actioned the company for discrimination" action, sue, litigate challenge - issue a challenge to; "Fischer challenged Spassky to a match" expedite - process fast and efficiently; "I will try to expedite the matter" litigate - engage in legal proceedings
	5.	process - march in a procession; "They processed into the dining room" march walk - use one's feet to advance; advance by steps; "Walk, don't run!"; "We walked instead of driving"; "She walks with a slight limp"; "The patient cannot walk yet"; "Walk over to the cabinet" file - proceed in line; "The students filed into the classroom" promenade, troop, parade - march in a procession; "the veterans paraded down the street" goose step - march in a military fashion countermarch - march back along the same way debouch, march out - march out (as from a defile) into open ground; "The regiments debouched from the valley"
	6.	process - shape, form, or improve a material; "work stone into tools"; "process iron"; "work the metal" work on, work transform, transmute, transubstantiate - change or alter in form, appearance, or nature; "This experience transformed her completely"; "She transformed the clay into a beautiful sculpture"; "transubstantiate one element into another" shape, mould, mold, form, forge, work - make something, usually for a specific function; "She molded the rice balls carefully"; "Form cylinders from the dough"; "shape a figure"; "Work the metal into a sword" hot-work - roll, press, forge, or shape (metal) while hot cold work, coldwork - shape (metal) without heat overwork - use too much; "This play has been overworked" make over, retread, rework - use again in altered form; "retread an old plot" rack - work on a rack; "rack leather" tool - work with a tool till - work land as by ploughing, harrowing, and manuring, in order to make it ready for cultivation; "till the soil"
	7.	process - deliver a warrant or summons to someone; "He was processed by the sheriff" swear out, serve subpoena - serve or summon with a subpoena; "The witness and her records were subpoenaed" wash, rinse - clean with some chemical process deliver - bring to a destination, make a delivery; "our local super market delivers"