collation Meaning, Definition & Usage

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

WordNet

Col*la"tion noun
Etymology
OE. collacioun speech, conference, reflection, OF. collacion, F. collation, fr. L. collatio a bringing together, comparing, fr. collatum (used as the supine of conferre); col- + latium (used as the supine of ferre to bear), for tlatum. See Tolerate, v. t.
Definitions
  1. The act of collating or comparing; a comparison of one copy er thing (as of a book, or manuscript) with another of a like kind; comparison, in general. Pope.
  2. (Print.) The gathering and examination of sheets preparatory to binding.
  3. The act of conferring or bestowing. Obs.
    Not by the collation of the king . . . but by the people. Bacon.
  4. A conference. Obs. Chaucer.
  5. (Eccl. Law) The presentation of a clergyman to a benefice by a bishop, who has it in his own gift.
  6. (Law) (a) The act of comparing the copy of any paper with its original to ascertain its conformity. (b) The report of the act made by the proper officers.
  7. (Scots Law) The right which an heir has of throwing the whole heritable and movable estates of the deceased into one mass, and sharing it equaly with others who are of the same degree of kindred. ✍ This also obtains in the civil law, and is found in the code of Louisiana. Bouvier.
  8. (Eccles.) A collection of the Lives of the Fathers or other devout work read daily in monasteries.
  9. A light repast or luncheon; as, a cold collation; -- first applied to the refreshment on fast days that accompanied the reading of the collation in monasteries.
    A collation of wine and sweetmeats. Whiston.
Col*la"tion intransitive verb
Definitions
  1. To partake of a collation. Obs.
    May 20, 1658, I . . . collationed in Spring Garden. Evelyn.

Webster 1913