[n. of action from COORDINATE v.; it occurs in F. in Oresme, 14th c., and prob. in med.L.] The action of coordinating; the condition or state of being coordinated or coordinate.
† 1. gen. Orderly combination. Obs.
1605. Bacon, Adv. Learn., II. vii. § 6. 28. The simple forms or differences of things, which are few in number, and the degrees or coordinations whereof make all this variety.
1658. Sir T. Browne, Gard. Cyrus, 52. What consent and coordination there is in the leaves and parts of flowers.
2. The action of arranging or placing in the same order, rank, or degree; the condition of being so placed; the relation between things so placed; coordinate condition or relation: opposed to subordination.
c. 1643. Maximes Unfolded, 4. Co-workers together for common good, not … by subordination, but co-ordination of principall causes.
1657. Cromwell, Sp., 21 April. I cannot do anything but in coordination with the council.
a. 1677. Barrow, Pope’s Suprem., Wks. 1859, VIII. 287. That brotherly co-ordination and equality, which our Lord did appoint.
1833. Coleridge, Table-t., 10 April. There are two possible modes of unity in a State; one by absolute co-ordination of each to all, and of all to each: the other by subordination of classes and offices.
1864. Bowen, Logic, iv. 91. The Relation of Co-ordination exists between different Species which have the same Proximate Genus.
3. The action of arranging, or condition of being arranged or combined, in due order or proper relation.
1842. W. Grove, Corr. Phys. Forces (1874), 1. The theory consequent upon new facts, whether it be a co-ordination of them with known ones, or [etc.].
1856. Dove, Logic Chr. Faith, I. i. § 2. 57. To arrange the primary materials in a regular co-ordination, which constitutes Science.
1858. Maury, Phys. Geog. Sea, xiv. § 794. I have recently put the materials in the hands of Lieutenant West for co-ordination.
4. Harmonious combination of agents or functions towards the production of a result; said esp. in Phys. in reference to the simultaneous and orderly action of a number of muscles in the production of certain complex movements.
1855. H. Spencer, Princ. Psychol. (1872), I. I. iii. 61. These two highest nervous centres … perform the general function of doubly-compound co-ordination.
1874. Carpenter, Ment. Phys., I. i. § 20 (1879), 20. In each of these acts, the co-ordination of a large number of muscular movements is required.
1876. Foster, Phys., III. vi. (1879), 562. Let us … examine the coordination of the movements of our own bodies.
