Definition: portion

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Source: WordNet (r) 1.7 

portion
     n 1: something determined in relation to something that includes
          it; "he wanted to feel a part of something bigger than
          himself"; "I read a portion of the manuscript"; "the
          smaller component is hard to reach" [syn: part, component
          part, component]
     2: something less than the whole of a human artifact: "the rear
        part of the house"; "glue the two parts together" [syn: part]
     3: the result of parcelling out or sharing; "death gets more
        than its share of attention from theologicans" [syn: parcel,
         share]
     4: assets belonging to or due to or contributed by an
        individual person or group; "he wanted his share in cash"
        [syn: share, part, percentage]
     5: your overall circumstances or condition in life (including
        everything that happens to you): "whatever my fortune may
        be"; "deserved a better fate"; "has a happy lot"; "the
        luck of the Irish"; "a victim of circumstances"; "success
        that was her portion" [syn: fortune, destiny, fate,
        luck, lot, circumstances]
     6: an individual portion of food or drink: "the helpings were
        all small"; "his portion was larger than hers"; "there's
        enough for two servings each" [syn: helping, serving]
     v : give out; "We were assigned new uniforms" [syn: assign, allot]

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) 

Portion \Por"tion\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Portioned; p. pr. &
   vb. n. Portioning.]
   1. To separate or divide into portions or shares; to parcel;
      to distribute.

            And portion to his tribes the wide domain. --Pope.

   2. To endow with a portion or inheritance.

            Him portioned maids, apprenticed orphans, blest.
                                                  --Pope.
Portion \Por"tion\, n. [F., from L. portio, akin to pars,
   partis, a part. See Part, n.]
   1. That which is divided off or separated, as a part from a
      whole; a separated part of anything.

   2. A part considered by itself, though not actually cut off
      or separated from the whole.

            These are parts of his ways; but how little a
            portion is heard of him!              --Job xxvi.
                                                  14.

            Portions and parcels of the dreadful past.
                                                  --Tennyson.

   3. A part assigned; allotment; share; fate.

            The lord of that servant . . . will appoint him his
            portion with the unbelievers.         --Luke xii.
                                                  46.

            Man's portion is to die and rise again. --Keble.

   4. The part of an estate given to a child or heir, or
      descending to him by law, and distributed to him in the
      settlement of the estate; an inheritance.

            Give me the portion of goods that falleth to me.
                                                  --Luke xv. 12.

   5. A wife's fortune; a dowry. --Shak.

   Syn: Division; share; parcel; quantity; allotment; dividend.
        

   Usage: Portion, Part. Part is generic, having a simple
          reference to some whole. Portion has the additional
          idea of such a division as bears reference to an
          individual, or is allotted to some object; as, a
          portion of one's time; a portion of Scripture.