Construction

Part of speech: noun (n.)

1. The process or art of constructing; the act of building; erection; the act of devising and forming; fabrication; composition.

2. The form or manner of building or putting together the parts of anything; structure; arrangement. An astrolabe of peculiar construction. Whewell.

3. The arrangement and connection of words in a sentence; syntactical arrangement. Some particles . . . in certain constructions have the sense of a whole sentence contained in them. Locke.

4. The method of construing, interpreting, or explaining a declaration or fact; an attributed sense or meaning; understanding; explanation; interpretation; sense. Any person . . . might, by the sort of construction that would be put on this act, become liable to the penalties of treason. Hallam. Strictly, the term [construction] signifies determining the meaning and proper effect of language by a consideration of the subject matter and attendant circumstances in connection with the words employed. Abbott. Interpretation properly precedes construction, but it does not go beyond the written text. Parsons. Construction of an equation (Math.), the drawing of such lines and figures as will represent geometrically the quantities in the equation, and their relations to each other. -- Construction train (Railroad), a train for transporting men and materials for construction or repairs.