EQUAL (equalled, equalling)

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

Irregular inflected forms: equalled    , equalling   

 Dictionary entry overview: What does equal mean? 

• EQUAL (noun)
  The noun EQUAL has 1 sense:

1. a person who is of equal standing with another in a group

  Familiarity information: EQUAL used as a noun is very rare.

• EQUAL (adjective)
  The adjective EQUAL has 2 senses:

1. having the same quantity, value, or measure as another

2. having the requisite qualities or resources to meet a task

  Familiarity information: EQUAL used as an adjective is rare.

• EQUAL (verb)
  The verb EQUAL has 3 senses:

1. be identical or equivalent to

2. be equal to in quality or ability

3. make equal, uniform, corresponding, or matching

  Familiarity information: EQUAL used as a verb is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• EQUAL (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A person who is of equal standing with another in a group

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Synonyms:

compeer; equal; match; peer

Hypernyms ("equal" is a kind of...):

individual; mortal; person; somebody; someone; soul (a human being)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "equal"):

associate (a person who joins with others in some activity or endeavor)

coeval; contemporary (a person of nearly the same age as another)

gangsta ((Black English) a member of a youth gang)

backup; backup man; fill-in; relief; reliever; stand-in; substitute (someone who takes the place of another (as when things get dangerous or difficult))

replacement; successor (a person who follows next in order)

townsman (a person from the same town as yourself)

Holonyms ("equal" is a member of...):

peer group (contemporaries of the same status)

Derivation:

equal (be equal to in quality or ability)

equal (having the same quantity, value, or measure as another)

equate (make equal, uniform, corresponding, or matching)

equate (consider or describe as similar, equal, or analogous)

• EQUAL (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Having the same quantity, value, or measure as another

Context example:

all men are equal before the law

Similar:

equilateral (having all sides or faces equal)

even; level; tied (of the score in a contest)

quits (on equal terms by payment or requital)

isothermal (of a process or change taking place at constant temperature)

isometric; isometrical (having equal dimensions or measurements)

isoclinal; isoclinic (having equal magnetic inclinations)

isochronal; isochronous (equal in duration or interval)

half-and-half (in equal parts)

even; fifty-fifty (equal in degree or extent or amount; or equally matched or balanced)

equidistant (the same distance apart at every point)

coordinate (of equal importance, rank, or degree)

coequal (having the same standing before the law)

close; tight ((of a contest or contestants) evenly matched)

equivalent; tantamount (being essentially equal to something)

Also:

comparable (able to be compared or worthy of comparison)

commensurate (corresponding in size or degree or extent)

same (closely similar or comparable in kind or quality or quantity or degree)

Attribute:

equality (the quality of being the same in quantity or measure or value or status)

Antonym:

unequal (poorly balanced or matched in quantity or value or measure)

Derivation:

equal (a person who is of equal standing with another in a group)

equality (the quality of being the same in quantity or measure or value or status)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Having the requisite qualities or resources to meet a task

Synonyms:

adequate; equal

Context example:

he was equal to the task

Similar:

competent (adequate, but not outstanding or exceptional)

adequate to; capable; equal to; up to (having the requisite qualities for)

Also:

satisfactory (giving satisfaction)

Attribute:

adequacy; adequateness (the quality of being able to meet a need satisfactorily:)

• EQUAL (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they equal    ... he / she / it equals   
Past simple: equaled    / equalled   
Past participle: equaled    / equalled   
-ing form: equaling    / equalling   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Be identical or equivalent to

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Synonyms:

be; equal

Context example:

One dollar equals 1,000 rubles these days!

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "equal"):

correspond; equate (be equivalent or parallel, in mathematics)

agree; check; correspond; fit; gibe; jibe; match; tally (be compatible, similar or consistent; coincide in their characteristics)

correspond; represent; stand for (take the place of or be parallel or equivalent to)

translate (be equivalent in effect)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s something

Antonym:

differ (be different)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Be equal to in quality or ability

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Synonyms:

equal; match; rival; touch

Context example:

Her persistence and ambition only matches that of her parents

Hypernyms (to "equal" is one way to...):

compete; contend; vie (compete for something; engage in a contest; measure oneself against others)

Verb group:

equal; equalise; equalize; equate; match (make equal, uniform, corresponding, or matching)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s something

Derivation:

equal (a person who is of equal standing with another in a group)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Make equal, uniform, corresponding, or matching

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

equal; equalise; equalize; equate; match

Context example:

The company matched the discount policy of its competitors

Hypernyms (to "equal" is one way to...):

alter; change; modify (cause to change; make different; cause a transformation)

Verb group:

equal; match; rival; touch (be equal to in quality or ability)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "equal"):

homologise; homologize (make homologous)

homogenise; homogenize (cause to become equal or homogeneous as by mixing)

draw; tie (finish a game with an equal number of points, goals, etc.)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

 Context examples 

"Pardon me," I said, with equal politeness, "but I have a special reason for wishing to know who purchased it."

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

"How much do you want?" Womble demanded, with a contempt in his voice equal to that in his face.

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)

But when he was at last unearthed, and Spitz flew at him to punish him, Buck flew, with equal rage, in between.

(The Call of the Wild, by Jack London)

Men despaired of matching him with an equal, and Beauty Smith was compelled to pit wolves against him.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

Anything to equal the low cunning of his visage, and of his shadowless eyes without the ghost of an eyelash, I never saw.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

This city stands upon almost two equal parts, on each side the river that passes through.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)

The success of the relationship depends on both parties being fully engaged and working with equal measure toward mutual goals.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

But when the proud princess perceived that he was not her equal in birth, she scorned him, and required him first to perform another task.

(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)

You are so big and generous that you challenge me to equal generousness.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

You know my powers, my dear Watson, and yet at the end of three months I was forced to confess that I had at last met an antagonist who was my intellectual equal.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)