Meaning of function In English

• 0 the natural purpose (of something) or the duty (of a person):

  • The function of the veins is to carry blood to the heart.

  • I'm not quite sure what my function is within the company.

  • A thermostat performs the function of controlling temperature.

• 1 an official ceremony or a formal social event, such as a party or a special meal, at which a lot of people are usually present:

  • As a mayor, he has a lot of official functions to attend.

  • I see her two or three times a year, usually at social functions.

• 2 the way in which something works or operates:

  • It's a disease that affects the function of the nervous system.

  • Studies suggest that regular intake of the vitamin significantly improves brain function.

• 3 a process that a computer or a computer program uses to complete a task:

  • a search/save/sort function

• 4 something that results from something else, or is the way it is because of something else:

  • His success is a function of his having worked so hard.

  • The low temperatures here are a function of the terrain as much as of the climate.

• 5 (in mathematics) a quantity whose value depends on another value and changes with that value:

  • x is a function of y.

• 6 to work or operate:

  • You'll soon learn how the office functions.

  • The television was functioning normally until yesterday.

  • I'm so tired today, I can barely function.

• 7 a purpose or duty, or the way something or someone works:

  • [ U ] The function of the veins is to carry blood to the heart.

  • [ C ] One of your functions as receptionist is to answer the phone.

• 8 a relationship between two sets in which each part of the first set is connected with just one member of the second set in number pairs

• 9 a social event or official ceremony:

  • Morse went to the White House for a ceremonial function.

• 10 to perform the purpose of a particular thing, or to perform the duties of a particular person:

  • She quickly learned how the office functions.

  • I’m so tired today, I can barely function.

  • Our spare bedroom also functions as a study (= is also used for that purpose).

• 11 the purpose that something has:

  • The perfect marriage between product design and function account for the company’s success in the computer market.

  • A fundamental function of the Bank of England is the responsibility of carrying out monetary policy operations.

• 12 a job or task that someone or something does:

  • My function is to help coordinate efficient communication between the departments.

  • carry out/perform a function

• 13 a particular area of responsibility of a company:

  • a sales/marketing/business function

  • core/corporate functions Of all the core functions of most companies, innovation has arguably the most competitive value.

• 14 a process which a computer or a software program uses to complete a task:

  • a search/save/sort function The website benefits from a highly-efficient search function.

• 15 an official occasion or event attended by many people:

  • a charity/social/work function

• 16 if something is a function of something else, it is produced as the result of that thing or process:

  • The increased availability of part-time jobs is a function of the structural changes in the labour market.

• 17 to work correctly and as expected:

  • function effectively/properly/well

  • Flights were delayed because the airport computer system was not functioning.