From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
deviation \de`vi*a"tion\, n. [LL. deviatio: cf. F.
d['e]viation.]
1. The act of deviating; a wandering from the way; variation
from the common way, from an established rule, etc.;
departure, as from the right course or the path of duty.
[1913 Webster]
2. The state or result of having deviated; a transgression;
an act of sin; an error; an offense.
[1913 Webster]
3. (Com.) The voluntary and unnecessary departure of a ship
from, or delay in, the regular and usual course of the
specific voyage insured, thus releasing the underwriters
from their responsibility.
[1913 Webster]
4. (Statistics, Physics) the difference between an expected
value of an observation or measurement and the actual
value.
[PJC]
{Deviation of a falling body} (Physics), that deviation from
a strictly vertical line of descent which occurs in a body
falling freely, in consequence of the rotation of the
earth.
{Deviation of the compass}, the angle which the needle of a
ship's compass makes with the magnetic meridian by reason
of the magnetism of the iron parts of the ship.
{Deviation of the line of the vertical}, the difference
between the actual direction of a plumb line and the
direction it would have if the earth were a perfect
ellipsoid and homogeneous, -- caused by the attraction of
a mountain, or irregularities in the earth's density.
[1913 Webster]
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
deviation
n 1: a variation that deviates from the standard or norm; "the
deviation from the mean" [syn: {deviation}, {divergence},
{departure}, {difference}]
2: the difference between an observed value and the expected
value of a variable or function
3: the error of a compass due to local magnetic disturbances
4: deviate behavior [syn: {deviation}, {deviance}]
5: a turning aside (of your course or attention or concern); "a
diversion from the main highway"; "a digression into
irrelevant details"; "a deflection from his goal" [syn:
{diversion}, {deviation}, {digression}, {deflection},
{deflexion}, {divagation}]
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