adjustment

American  

[uh-juhst-muhnt] / əˈdʒʌst mənt /

noun

1. the act of adjusting; adaptation to a particular condition, position, or purpose.

2. the state of being adjusted; adjusted; orderly relation of parts or elements.

3. a device, as a knob or lever, for adjusting.

   the adjustments on a television set.

4. the act of bringing something into conformity with external requirements.

   the adjustment of one's view of reality.

5. harmony achieved by modification or change of a position.

   They worked out an adjustment of their conflicting ideas.

6. Sociology. a process of modifying, adapting, or altering individual or collective patterns of behavior so as to bring them into conformity with other such patterns, as with those provided by a cultural environment.

7. Insurance. the act of ascertaining the amount of indemnity that the party insured is entitled to receive under the policy, and of settling the claim.

8. a settlement of a disputed account or claim.

9. a change or concession, as in price or other terms, in view of minor defect or the like.

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adjustment British  

/ əˈdʒʌstmənt /

noun

1. the act of adjusting or state of being adjusted

2. a control for regulating

   the adjustment for volume is beside the speaker

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Other Word Forms

• adjustmental adjective
• misadjustment noun
• nonadjustment noun
• overadjustment noun
• preadjustment noun
• underadjustment noun

Etymology

Origin of adjustment

First recorded in 1635–45; adjust + -ment

Related Words

• alteration
• arrangement
• improvement
• modification
• readjustment
• regulation