Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A manner of proceeding; a way of performing or effecting something.
  • noun A series of steps taken to accomplish an end.
  • noun Computers A set of instructions that performs a specific task; a subroutine or function.
  • noun A set of established forms or methods for conducting the affairs of an organized body such as a business, club, or government.
  • noun Law The set of rules under which litigation is conducted, especially in contrast to the set of substantive legal principles that determine the merits of legal controversies and disputes.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun The act of proceeding or moving forward; progress.
  • noun Manner of proceeding or acting; a course or mode of action; conduct.
  • noun A step taken; an act performed; a proceeding.
  • noun That which proceeds from something; product.
  • noun The modes, collectively, of conducting business, especially deliberative business; specifically, in law, the modes of conduct of litigation and judicial business, as distinguished from that branch of the law which gives or defines rights. It includes practice, pleading, and evidence.
  • noun Synonyms Proceeding, Operation, etc. See process.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun The act or manner of proceeding or moving forward; progress; process; operation; conduct.
  • noun A step taken; an act performed; a proceeding; the steps taken in an action or other legal proceeding.
  • noun obsolete That which results; issue; product.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun A particular method for performing a task.
  • noun A series of small tasks or steps taken to accomplish an end.
  • noun uncountable The set of established forms or methods of an organized body for accomplishing a certain task or tasks.
  • noun The steps taken in an action or other legal proceeding.
  • noun obsolete That which results; issue; product.
  • noun computing A subroutine or function coded to perform a specific task.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun a particular course of action intended to achieve a result
  • noun a process or series of acts especially of a practical or mechanical nature involved in a particular form of work
  • noun a mode of conducting legal and parliamentary proceedings
  • noun a set sequence of steps, part of larger computer program

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[French procédure, from Old French, from proceder, to proceed; see proceed.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Old French procedure, from Latin procedere ("to go forward, proceed"); see proceed.

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