a belief that can guide behavior; "the architect has a theory that more is less"; "they killed him on the theory that dead men tell no tales"
a well-substantiated explanation of some aspect of the natural world; an organized system of accepted knowledge that applies in a variety of circumstances to explain a specific set of phenomena; "theories can incorporate facts and laws and tested hypotheses"; "true in fact and theory"
the role of the head of a government department; "he holds the portfolio for foreign affairs"
a large, flat, thin case for carrying loose papers or drawings or maps; usually leather; "he remembered her because she was carrying a large portfolio"
a list of the financial assets held by an individual or a bank or other financial institution; "they were disappointed by the poor returns on their stock portfolio"
a set of pieces of creative work collected to be shown to potential customers or employers; "the artist had put together a portfolio of his work"; "every actor has a portfolio of photographs"
a statement that makes something comprehensible by describing the relevant structure or operation or circumstances etc.; "the explanation was very simple"; "I expected a brief account"
the act of explaining; making something plain or intelligible; "I heard his explanation of the accident"
(law) an explanation of the fundamental reasons (especially an explanation of the working of some device in terms of laws of nature); "the rationale for capital punishment"; "the principles of internal-combustion engines"
a characteristic emotional quality; "it ended on a sour note"; "there was a note of gaiety in her manner"; "he detected a note of sarcasm"
a brief written record; "he made a note of the appointment"
a short personal letter; "drop me a line when you get there"
a comment or instruction (usually added); "his notes were appended at the end of the article"; "he added a short notation to the address on the envelope"
a notation representing the pitch and duration of a musical sound; "the singer held the note too long"
a tone of voice that shows what the speaker is feeling; "there was a note of uncertainty in his voice"
a promise to pay a specified amount on demand or at a certain time; "I had to co-sign his note at the bank"
make mention of; "She observed that his presentation took up too much time"; "They noted that it was a fine day to go sailing"
make a written note of; "she noted everything the teacher said that morning"
observe with care or pay close attention to; "Take note of this chemical reaction"
an explanation of something that is not immediately obvious; "the edict was subject to many interpretations"; "he annoyed us with his interpreting of parables"; "often imitations are extended to provide a more accurate rendition of the child's intended meaning"
a mental representation of the meaning or significance of something
an explanation that results from interpreting something; "the report included his interpretation of the forensic evidence"