26984 words

parallel

15 definitions • 20 examples
1
If two or more lines, streets, etc. are parallel, the distance between them is the same all along their length:

Examples:

Draw a pair of parallel lines.
Hills Road is parallel to Mill Road.
2
used to describe an event or situation that happens at the same time as and/or is similar to another one:

Examples:

a parallel example
Parallel experiments are being conducted in Rome, Paris and London.
3
sending through several bits (= units) of information at a time using a link with several channels (= wires or connections):

Examples:

parallel communication
4
something very similar to something else, or a similarity between two things:

Examples:

I'm trying to see if there are any obvious parallels between the two cases.
It would be easy to draw (= make) a parallel between the city's history and that of its theatres.
5
If something has no parallel or is without parallel, there is nothing similar to it or of the same high quality as it:

Examples:

These beautiful African churches have no parallel in Europe.
6
a line that is always at the same distance from another line:

Examples:

In a picture, the vanishing point is the point in the distance where two parallel lines appear to meet.
7
one of a number of imaginary lines around the earth always at the same distance from the equator:

Examples:

Cambridge lies near the 52nd parallel.
8
to happen at the same time as something else, or be similar or equal to something else:

Examples:

The events of the last ten days in some ways parallel those before the 1978 election.
9
in a position that is always the same distance from something else:

Examples:

It's a quiet street running (= positioned) parallel to the main road.
10
(of two or more straight lines) being the same distance apart along all their length:

Examples:

The wood was marked with parallel dark bands.
11

Examples:

Parallel experiments are being conducted in Europe and the United States.
12
something very similar to something else, or a similarity between two things:

Examples:

There’s an incredible parallel between the talking blues of 50 years ago and today’s rap music.
The black experience in America has been without parallel in the experience of other peoples.
13
one of the imaginary latitude lines around the earth that are parallel to the equator:

Examples:

the 40th parallel
14
used to describe products that are bought in one country in an unofficial way and then sold more cheaply than usual in a different country:

Examples:

Brandowners are not entirely opposed to parallel trade.
The government has adopted a labelling policy which requires distributors of parallel goods to label the origins of the goods.
15
involving two or more computer processes happening at one time:

Examples:

Groups of workstations act in parallel.

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