Definition

1. Noun:
   • The act of carefully examining and comparing items, especially texts, to note points of agreement or disagreement: This refers to the meticulous process of comparing different versions or copies of a text to establish an accurate version.
   • The action of assembling or arranging items in a proper sequence: This meaning involves putting things in a specific, logical, or numerical order.
   • A light, informal meal: This usage denotes a simple meal, often one served outside of regular meal times or in a casual setting.

Usage Examples

• Noun (Examination/Comparison):
  • The scholar spent months on the collation of the ancient manuscripts.
  • A careful collation of the data revealed several inconsistencies in the report.
• Noun (Assembling in sequence):
  • The collation of the pages must be checked before the book is bound.
  • Her job involves the collation of reports into a single master file.
• Noun (Light meal):
  • After the service, a simple collation was served in the church hall.
  • We enjoyed a pleasant collation of cheese and fruit in the garden.

Advanced Usage

• "In collation with": when compared or examined alongside something else.
  • The findings are significant only in collation with the earlier study.
• "Collation of evidence": the process of gathering and arranging evidence systematically.
  • The detective's collation of evidence was crucial to solving the case.

Variants and Related Words

• Collate (verb): To collect, compare, and arrange (items or information) in a proper order.
  • Please collate the survey responses before analysis.
• Collator (noun): A person or machine that collates items.
  • The printer has an automatic collator for multi-page documents.

Synonyms

• Comparison: The act of comparing.
• Compilation: The action of collecting and assembling.
• Repast or Refreshment: Terms for a meal, especially a light one.

Related Phrases

• Collation sequence: The defined order used for sorting data, such as alphabetical order in a database.
  • The database uses a standard collation sequence for names.
• Collation error: A mistake found during the process of comparing texts or data.
  • The editor found a collation error between the two editions of the novel.

Related Idioms

• "To break one's collation": An archaic idiom meaning to interrupt one's meal.
  • He was called away, breaking his collation abruptly.

Noun

1. careful examination and comparison to note points of disagreement
2. assembling in proper numerical or logical sequence
3. a light informal meal