Definition of "parallel"

parallel

/ˈpæɹ.əˌlɛl/

adjective
not comparable
1. Equally distant from one another at all points.
  Quotations
  the instrument held with its plane roughly parallel to the equinoctial or celestial equato
  1911, William Robert Martin, 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica/Navigation
2. Having the same overall direction; the comparison is indicated with "to".
  Quotations
  When honour runs parallel with the laws of God and our country, it cannot be too much cherished.
  1711 July 2 (Gregorian calendar), [Joseph Addison; Richard Steele et al.], “THURSDAY, June 21, 1711”, in The Spectator, number 99; republished in Alexander Chalmers, editor, The Spectator; a New Edition, […], volume II, New York, N.Y.: D[aniel] Appleton & Company, 1853
3. (hyperbolic geometry, said of a pair of lines) Either not intersecting, or coinciding.
4. (computing) Involving the processing of multiple tasks at the same time.
5. (figuratively) Analogous, similar, comparable.
6. (science fiction, of realities, dimensions, timelines, etc.) Coexisting but normally not interacting with the regular reality.
adverb
comparative more parallel, superlative most parallel
1. With a parallel relationship.
noun
plural parallels
1. One of a set of parallel lines.
  Quotations
  Who made the spider parallels design, / Sure as De Moivre, without rule or line?
  1733, [Alexander Pope], An Essay on Man. […], (please specify |epistle=I to IV), London: Printed for J[ohn] Wilford, […]
2. Direction conformable to that of another line.
  Quotations
  lines that from their parallel decline
  1699, Samuel Garth, The Dispensary
3. A line of latitude.
4. An arrangement of electrical components such that a current flows along two or more paths; see in parallel.
5. Something identical or similar in essential respects.
  Quotations
  None but thyself can be thy parallel.
  1728, [Alexander Pope], “Book the Third”, in The Dunciad. An Heroic Poem. […], Dublin, London: […] A. Dodd
6. A comparison made; elaborate tracing of similarity.
7. (military) One of a series of long trenches constructed before a besieged fortress, by the besieging force, as a cover for troops supporting the attacking batteries. They are roughly parallel to the line of outer defenses of the fortress.
8. (printing) A character consisting of two parallel vertical lines, used in the text to direct attention to a similarly marked note in the margin or at the foot of a page.
verb
third-person singular simple present parallels, present participle paralleling or (UK, nonstandard) parallelling, simple past and past participle paralleled or (UK, nonstandard) parallelled
1. To construct or place something parallel to something else.
  Quotations
  The needle […] doth parallel and place itself upon the true meridian.
  1650, Thomas Browne, Pseudodoxia Epidemica: […], 2nd edition, London: […] A[braham] Miller, for Edw[ard] Dod and Nath[aniel] Ekins, […]
2. Of a path etc: To be parallel to something else.
  Quotations
  Archaic covered bridges lingered fearsomely out of the past in pockets of the hills, and the half-abandoned railway track paralleling the river seemed to exhale a nebulously visible air of desolation.
  1931, H. P. Lovecraft, chapter 6, in The Whisperer in Darkness
  Racing on, we parallel the M5 doing 95mph, according to the app on my smartphone.
  2020 December 2, Paul Bigland, “My weirdest and wackiest Rover yet”, in Rail, page 66
3. Of a process etc: To be analogous to something else.
4. To compare or liken something to something else.
  Quotations
  Although its spokesmen do not hesitate to parallel their oppression to that of blacks, the gay male community has chosen to ignore the voices of black gay men.
  1984 April 14, Reginald Shepherd, “White Men's Black Men”, in Gay Community News, page 11
  These scholars argue that gender and sexual identity are like nature and the environment; they parallel the queer/performance connection to the environmental/performance connection. I consider, instead, how all these categories actively interact and overlap.
  2018, Nicole Seymour, Bad Environmentalism, page 119
5. To make to conform to something else in character, motive, aim, etc.
  Quotations
  His life is parallelled / Even with the stroke and line of his great justice.
  c. 1603–1604 (date written), William Shakespeare, “Measure for Measure”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act IV, scene ii]
6. To equal; to match; to correspond to.
  Quotations
  He will steale sir an Egge out of a Cloister: forrapes and rauishments he paralels Nessus.
  c. 1604–1605 (date written), William Shakespeare, “All’s Well, that Ends Well”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act IV, scene iii]
7. To produce or adduce as a parallel.
  Quotations
  My young remembrance cannot parallel / A fellow to it.
  c. 1606 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Macbeth”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act II, scene iii]
  Who cannot parallel these stories out of his experience?
  1621, Robert Burton, The Anatomy of Melancholy, III.2.2.iv
  Many have exercised their wits in paralleling the inconveniences of regal and popular government
  1689 December (indicated as 1690), [John Locke], Two Treatises of Government: […], London: […] Awnsham Churchill, […]

Definition of "parallel"

parallel

adjective

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adverb

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verb

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