equal

adj 1: well matched; having the same quantity, value, or measure as

another; "on equal terms"; "all men are equal before

the law" [ant: {unequal}]

2: equal in amount or value; "like amounts"; "equivalent

amounts"; "the same amount"; "gave one six blows and the

other a like number"; "an equal number"; "the same number"

[syn: {like}, {equivalent}, {same}] [ant: {unlike}]

n : a person who is of equal standing with another in a group

[syn: {peer}, {match}, {compeer}]

v 1: be identical or equivalent to: "One dollar equals 1,000

rubles these days!" [syn: {be}] [ant: {differ}]

2: be equal to in quality or ability; "Nothing can rival

cotton for durability" [syn: {touch}, {rival}, {match}]

3: make equal or uniform; "let's equalize the duties among all

employees in this office" [syn: {equalize}]

equals

"◦", {ASCII} character 61.

Common names: {ITU-T}: equals; gets; takes. Rare:

quadrathorpe; {INTERCAL}: half-mesh.

Equals is used in many languages as the {assignment} operator

though earlier languages used ":◦" ("becomes equal to") to

avoid upsetting mathematicians with statements such as "x ◦

x:1". It is also used in compounds such as "<◦", ">◦", "◦◦",

"/◦", "!◦" for various comparison operators and in {C}'s ":◦",

"▫◦" etc. which mimic the {primitive} operations of

{two-address code}.

(1995-03-29)