expression
Etymology

Borrowed from Middle French expression, from Late Latin expressiō.

Morphologically express + -ion.

Pronunciation
  • IPA: /ɪkˈspɹɛʃ.ən/, /ɛkˈspɹɛʃ.ən/
Noun

expression

  1. The action of expressing thoughts, ideas, feelings, etc.
  2. A particular way of phrasing an idea.
  3. A colloquialism or idiom.
    The expression "break a leg!" should not be taken literally.
  4. A facial appearance usually associated with an emotion.
    They stared at the newcomer with a puzzled expression.
    The best poker players can tell if the opponents have a good hand by looking at their expression.
    Her expression changed from joy to misery after realising her winning lottery ticket had expired.
    • 1963, Margery Allingham, chapter 9, in The China Governess: A Mystery, London: Chatto & Windus, →OCLC ↗:
      Eustace gaped at him in amazement. When his urbanity dropped away from him, as now, he had an innocence of expression which was almost infantile. It was as if the world had never touched him at all.
  5. (mathematics) An arrangement of symbols denoting values, operations performed on them, and grouping symbols.
  6. (biology) The process of translating a gene into a protein.
  7. (programming) A piece of code in a high-level language that returns a value.
  8. A specific blend of whisky.
  9. (biology, manufacturing) The act of pressing or squeezing out.
    expression from a gland
    Breast milk expression can be achieved by hand or with a pump.
    However the mechanical expression of juice led to an improvement of the solutes extraction from mash.
  10. (music) The tone of voice or sound in music.
  11. (mostly preceded by with) Emotional involvement or engagement in a text read aloud rendered by the voice of the reciter or the reader.
    • 1864, Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons, Accounts and Papers of the House of Commons, page 170:
      I cannot say that all read with expression. Indeed , this power is hardly to be expected in young children . And though “ to read with expression ...
    • 1976, Aline D. Wolf, Tutoring is Caring: You Can Help Someone to Read, Parent Child Press
      Perhaps when you were learning to read , you were asked to stand and " read with expression " for your classmates  
Related terms
  • expression pedal
Translations Translations Translations Translations Translations Translations Translations Translations
  • German: Auspressen
  • Russian: выдавливание
Translations


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