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noun, plural processes
[pros-es-iz, ‐uh-siz, ‐uh-seez or, esp. British, proh-ses-iz, proh-suh-seez] /ˈprɒs ɛs ɪz, ‐ə sɪz, ‐əˌsiz or, esp. British, ˈproʊ sɛs ɪz, ˈproʊ sə siz/ (Show IPA)
1.
a systematic series of actions directed to some end:
to devise a process for homogenizing milk.
2.
a continuous action, operation, or series of changes taking place in a definite manner:
the process of decay.
3.
Law.

the summons, mandate, or writ by which a defendant or thing is brought before court for litigation.
the whole course of the proceedings in an action at law.

4.
Photography. photomechanical or photoengraving methods collectively.
5.
Biology, Anatomy. a natural outgrowth, projection, or appendage:
a process of a bone.
6.
the action of going forward or on.
7.
the condition of being carried on.
8.
course or lapse, as of time.
9.
conk4 (defs 1, 2).
verb (used with object)
10.
to treat or prepare by some particular series of actions, as in manufacturing.
11.
to handle (papers, records, etc.) by systematically organizing them, recording or making notations on them, following up with appropriate action, or the like:
to process mail.
12.
to require (someone) to answer questionnaires, perform various tasks, and sometimes to undergo physical and aptitude classification examinations before the beginning or termination of a period of service:
The army processes all personnel entering or leaving the service.
13.
to convert (an agricultural commodity) into marketable form by a special series of steps, as pasteurization.
14.
to institute a legal process against; prosecute.
15.
to serve a process or summons on.
16.
Computers. to carry out operations on (data or programs).
17.
conk4 (def 3).
verb (used without object)
18.
to undergo the activities involved in hiring or firing personnel:
The recruits expected to process in four days.
adjective
19.
prepared or modified by an artificial process or procedure:
process cheese.
20.
noting, pertaining to, or involving photomechanical or photoengraving methods:
a process print.
21.
Informal. of or relating to hair that has been conked, or chemically straightened.
22.
Movies. created by or used in process cinematography:
a moving background on a process screen.
noun
1.
a series of actions that produce a change or development: the process of digestion
2.
a method of doing or producing something
3.
a forward movement
4.
the course of time
5.

a summons, writ, etc, commanding a person to appear in court
the whole proceedings in an action at law

6.
a natural outgrowth or projection of a part, organ, or organism
7.
a distinct subtask of a computer system which can be regarded as proceeding in parallel with other subtasks of the system
8.
(modifier) relating to the general preparation of a printing forme or plate by the use, at some stage, of photography
9.
(modifier) denoting a film, film scene, shot, etc, made by techniques that produce unusual optical effects
verb (transitive)
10.
to subject to a routine procedure; handle
11.
to treat or prepare by a special method, esp to treat (food) in order to preserve it: to process cheese
12.

to institute legal proceedings against
to serve a process on

13.
(photog)

to develop, rinse, fix, wash, and dry (exposed film, etc)
to produce final prints or slides from (undeveloped film)

14.
(computing) to perform mathematical and logical operations on (data) according to programmed instructions in order to obtain the required information
15.
to prepare (food) using a food processor
verb
1.
(intransitive) to proceed in or as if in a procession

process proc·ess (prŏs’ěs’, prō’sěs’)
n. pl. proc·ess·es (prŏs’ěs’ĭz, prō’sěs’-, prŏs’ĭ-sēz’, prō’sĭ-)

A series of actions, changes, or functions bringing about a result.

Advance or progress, as of a disease.

An outgrowth of tissue; a projecting part, as of a bone.

proc’ess adj.
proc’ess v.
data processing, signal processing
Performing some predefined sequence of operations on an input to produce an output or change of internal state; activity specifically involving the computer’s CPU.
The term is often qualified: “data processing” treats digital data, “signal processing” treats analog data (possibly in digital form), “word processing” takes in typed human language input and produces digital documents, image processing transforms digital images.
(2003-10-23)