In this meaning, proportion is usually followed by a singular verb:
A small proportion disagrees.
In British English, you can also use a plural verb:
A small proportion disagree.
2relationship 关系 [countableC, uncountableU]AMOUNT the relationship between two things in size, amount, importance etc 比例
the proportion of something to something
What’s the proportion of boys to girls in your class?
你们班里男女生的比例是多少?
in proportion to something
The rewards you get in this job are in direct proportion to the effort you put in.
你做这份工作的报酬与你付出的努力成正比。
3correct scale 恰当的比例 [uncountableU] the correct or most suitable relationship between the size, shape, or position of the different parts of something 〔某物各组成部分的〕相称;协调;均衡;匀称
Builders must learn about scale and proportion.
建筑师必须学习比例和均衡。
in proportion
Reduce the drawing so that all the elements stay in proportion.
缩小这幅画以使各部分保持协调。
in proportion to something
Her feet are small in proportion to her height.
她的脚相对于她的身高来说很小。
out of proportion with something
The porch is out of proportion with (=too big or too small when compared with) the rest of the house.
5out of (all) proportionEXAGGERATEtoo big, great, or strong in relation to something (相对某事物来说)超出比例;与…不相称
out of (all) proportion to/with
The fear of violent crime has now risen out of all proportion to the actual risk.
对暴力犯罪的恐惧大大超出了实际的危险。
get/blow something out of proportion (=treat something as more serious than it really is) 把事情看得过分严重
Aren’t you getting things rather out of proportion?
你是不是把事情想得太糟了?
The whole issue has been blown out of all proportion.
整件事被过分夸大了。
Examples from the Corpus
get/blow something out of proportion• Things get blown out of proportion.• Things had got a bit out of proportion.• We mustn't get things out of proportion.• The issue was blown far out of proportion.
6keep something in proportionTOO/TOO MUCHto react to a situation sensibly, and not think that it is worse or more serious than it really is 办事情[看问题]恰如其分;不把问题看得太糟[太严重] → perspective
Let’s keep things in proportion.
我们别把事情看得太糟。
Examples from the Corpus
keep something in proportion• The Party's recentsuccesses in the polls are encouraging but they need to be kept in proportion.• In our celebrity-obsessed society, it is nice to see some one keeping things in proportion.• In fact it was Jack's sense of humour that kept her feelings in proportion during the next few days.• My confidence was so low it was difficult to keep things in proportion -- the smallest problem seemed like a majortragedy.• Work was carried on around the lump in a fairly ordered pattern helping to keep everything in proportion.
7sense of proportionCOMPAREthe ability to judge what is most important in a situation 区别轻重缓急的能力;主次观念
have/keep/lose a sense of proportion
You can protest by all means, but keep a sense of proportion.
你自然可以抗议,但是要分清主次。
Examples from the Corpus
have/keep/lose a sense of proportion• Experiment by all means - but keep a sense of proportion. 4.• You should, however, keep a sense of proportion.• At their best, lawyershave a sense of proportion and a sense of humor.• McCartney seems to have a good sense of proportion about his fame.• But let us keep a sense of proportion.
8.mathematics 数学 [uncountableU] technicalHMNequality in the mathematical relationship between two sets of numbers, as in the statement ‘8 is to 6 as 32 is to 24’ 比例〔如8:6 = 32:24〕 → ratio
nCOLLOCATIONS – Meaning 4:
ADJECTIVES/NOUN + proportions
enormous/massive/gigantic etc proportions
The company is heading towards a disaster of enormous proportions.
epidemic proportions (=very great size, especially in a particular place)
Shoplifting has reached epidemic proportions.
epic proportions (=very great size or importance)
An argument of epic proportions had ensued.
mythic proportions (=a size or importance that seems almost unreal)
Achieving this was a feat of mythic proportions.
historic proportions (=a size or importance that only rarely happens)
We were trapped for three days by a blizzard of historic proportions.
crisis proportions (=a size that causes very serious problems)
The water shortage was reaching crisis proportions.
manageable proportions (=a size that is easy to deal with)
First, narrow the choice down to more manageable proportions.
verbs
reach epidemic etc proportions
Alcohol abuse has reached epidemic proportions in this country.
grow to enormous etc proportions
The fish grows to gigantic proportions.
assume epidemic etc proportions formal (=become or seem very great)
Unless you deal with it quickly, the damage may assume serious proportions.
reduce something to manageable etc proportions
The disease had been reduced to negligible proportions by vaccination.
Examples from the Corpus
proportion• Already the hyperbole was out of all proportioncompared to the evidence.• Architects must learn about scale and proportion.• The most desirableproportion of height to length being 9 to 10.• The new jobs would largely be unskilled and a high proportion would be in inner city areas.• Yves Rocher Dynamic Corp Bio-Vegetal range includes gel, tonics and creams all with a high proportion of sea algae.• A high proportion of the products tested were found to contain harmfulchemicals.• A significantproportion of the elderly are dependent on the basic state pension.• We get a small proportion of our funding from the government.• Seventy-five percent of California's immigrants are foreign-born, and that proportion is likely to increase.• a program to increase the proportion of women and black people in the police service• Severing the umbilical cord between landlords and peasants vastly increased the proportion of the population for which the centre was directly responsible.• What is the proportion of men to women in your office?• The new law is intended to reduce the proportion of road accidents caused by drunk drivers.• Ratios between two proportions are not, however, regularly used in analysingcontingency tables.• It will automatically calculate, for example, what proportion of your income goes on things like the car and householditems.• What proportion have neither one, nor both parents as members of the church?• What proportion of your income do you spend on food?
out of proportion with something• I felt out of proportion with a short bob and, although striking, it was too neat and tidy for me.
proportion2 verb [transitiveT] formal
to put something in a particular relationship with something else according to their relative size, amount, position etc 使相称;使成比例
be proportioned to something
The amount of damages awarded are proportioned to the degree of injury caused.
裁定的损害赔偿金额和造成的伤害程度成正比。
nGrammar
Proportion is usually passive.
Examples from the Corpus
proportion• All storing is performed in the base port once a week with most meats being proportioned.• So long as he was solvent in law, he could not proportion his payments to creditors according to their respectivedebts.• Both are moved along at the same speed and in the same direction by the proportioningpump.• It provides that such damages can be awarded as are proportioned to the injury resulting from the death to the dependants respectively.
be proportioned to something• Farmers pay a small amount for use of the pasture, proportioned to the number of animals grazed there.
Originproportion1
(1300-1400)Old FrenchLatinproportio, from portio; → PORTION1