Crossword Dictionary

What's The Definition Of Bias?

\Bi"as\ (b[imac]"as), n.; pl. {Biases} (-[e^]z). [F. biasis, perh. fr. LL. bifax two-faced; L. bis + facies face. See {Bi-}, and cf. {Face}.] 1. A weight on the side of the ball used in the game of bowls, or a tendency imparted to the ball, which turns it from a straight line. Being ignorant that there is a concealed bias within the spheroid, which will . . . swerve away. --Sir W. Scott. 2. A leaning of the mind; propensity or prepossession toward an object or view, not leaving the mind indifferent; bent; inclination. Strong love is a bias upon the thoughts. --South. Morality influences men's lives, and gives a bias to all their actions. --Locke. 3. A wedge-shaped piece of cloth taken out of a garment (as the waist of a dress) to diminish its circumference. 4. A slant; a diagonal; as, to cut cloth on the bias. Syn: Prepossession; prejudice; partiality; inclination. See {Bent}.
\Bi"as\, a. 1. Inclined to one side; swelled on one side. [Obs.] --Shak. 2. Cut slanting or diagonally, as cloth.
\Bi"as\, adv. In a slanting manner; crosswise; obliquely; diagonally; as, to cut cloth bias.
\Bi"as\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Biased} (b[imac]"ast); p. pr. & vb. n. {Biasing}.] To incline to one side; to give a particular direction to; to influence; to prejudice; to prepossess. Me it had not biased in the one direction, nor should it have biased any just critic in the counter direction. --De Quincey.