Collocations for proportion - noun
1. part/share of a whole
ADJ.
appreciable, considerable, fair, good, great, high, huge, large, overwhelming, significant, sizeable, substantial | reasonable | low, small | minute, negligible, tiny | certain | equal
The company employs men and women in roughly equal proportions.
The company employs men and women in roughly equal proportions.
equivalent, similar | different, differing, varying | fixed | exact | approximate | average | overall | growing, increasing, rising | declining, decreasing, diminishing
VERB + PROPORTION
express sth as
The chart shows government spending expressed as a proportion of national income.
The chart shows government spending expressed as a proportion of national income.
grow as, increase as, rise as | decline as, decrease as, diminish as, fall as
The unskilled section of the working class was diminishing as a proportion of the workforce.
The unskilled section of the working class was diminishing as a proportion of the workforce.
PROPORTION + VERB
grow, increase, rise | decline, decrease, fall
2. relationship between the size/amount of two things
ADJ.
correct | direct | inverse
The human population in the region is expanding in inverse proportion to the wildlife.
The human population in the region is expanding in inverse proportion to the wildlife.
relative
VERB + PROPORTION
keep sth in
Try to keep your view of the situation in proportion (= not think it is more serious than it is).
Try to keep your view of the situation in proportion (= not think it is more serious than it is).
PREP.
in ~ (to)
The cost of insurance increases in proportion to the performance of the car.
The cost of insurance increases in proportion to the performance of the car.
out of ~ (to)
The costs of the plan are out of proportion to the budget available.
The costs of the plan are out of proportion to the budget available.
~ of sth to sth
The proportion of sand to cement used was three to one.
The proportion of sand to cement used was three to one.
PHRASES
out of all proportion
The problem has been exaggerated out of all proportion.
The problem has been exaggerated out of all proportion.
a sense of proportion
Try to keep a sense of proportion (= of the relative importance of different things).
Try to keep a sense of proportion (= of the relative importance of different things).
3. proportions: size and shape of sth
ADJ.
enormous, epic, extraordinary, gargantuan, generous, gigantic, heroic, huge, immense, major, mammoth, massive, monumental, staggering | modest | manageable, unmanageable
The computer brings the huge task of stock control down to more manageable proportions.
The computer brings the huge task of stock control down to more manageable proportions.
alarming | crisis, epidemic | classic, elegant, fine, noble, perfect
There is an entrance hall of perfect proportions, twice as long as it is wide.
There is an entrance hall of perfect proportions, twice as long as it is wide.
bodily
VERB + PROPORTION
reach
The food shortage had reached crisis proportions.
The food shortage had reached crisis proportions.