partition

n 1: a vertical structure that divides or separates (as a wall

divides one room from another) [syn: {divider}]

2: (computer science) the part of a hard disk that is dedicated

to a particular operating system or application and

accessed as a single unit

3: separation by the creation of a boundary that divides or

keeps apart [syn: {division}, {partitioning}, {segmentation},

{subdivision}, {sectionalization}]

v 1: divide into parts, pieces, or sections; "The Arab peninsula

was partitioned by the British" [syn: {partition off}]

2: separate or apportion into sections; "partition a room off"

[syn: {subdivide}, {zone}]

partition

1. A {logical} section of a {disk}. Each partition

normally has its own {file system}. {Unix} tends to treat

partitions as though they were separate physical entities.

2. A division of a set into subsets so that each

of its elements is in exactly one subset.

(1996-12-09)