some abrupt occurrence that interrupts an ongoing activity; "the telephone is an annoying interruption"; "there was a break in the action when a player was hurt"
a period of indeterminate length (usually short) marked by some action or condition; "he was here for a little while"; "I need to rest for a piece"; "a spell of good weather"; "a patch of bad weather"
having existence or being or actuality; "an attempt to refine the existent machinery to make it more efficient"; "much of the beluga caviar existing in the world is found in the Soviet Union and Iran"
one of the quantities in a mathematical proportion
properly related in size or degree or other measurable characteristics; usually followed by `to'; "the punishment ought to be proportional to the crime"; "earnings relative to production"