cluster

cluster
    n 1: a grouping of a number of similar things; "a bunch of
         trees"; "a cluster of admirers" [syn: {bunch}, {clump},
         {cluster}, {clustering}]
    v 1: come together as in a cluster or flock; "The poets
         constellate in this town every summer" [syn: {cluster},
         {constellate}, {flock}, {clump}]
    2: gather or cause to gather into a cluster; "She bunched her
       fingers into a fist" [syn: {bunch}, {bunch up}, {bundle},
       {cluster}, {clump}]
    

Cluster \Clus"ter\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Clustered}; p. pr. &
   vb. n. {Clustering}.]
   To grow in clusters or assemble in groups; to gather or unite
   in a cluster or clusters.
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         His sunny hair
         Cluster'd about his temples, like a god's. --Tennyson.
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         The princes of the country clustering together. --Foxe.
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Cluster \Clus"ter\, v. t.
   To collect into a cluster or clusters; to gather into a bunch
   or close body.
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         Not less the bee would range her cells, . . .
         The foxglove cluster dappled bells.      --Tennyson.
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         Or from the forest falls the clustered snow. --Thomson.
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   {Clustered column} (Arch.), a column which is composed, or
      appears to be composed, of several columns collected
      together.
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Cluster \Clus"ter\ (kl[u^]s"t[~e]r), n. [AS. cluster, clyster;
   cf. LG. kluster (also Sw. & Dan. klase a cluster of grapes,
   D. klissen to be entangled?.)]
   1. A number of things of the same kind growing together; a
      bunch.
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            Her deeds were like great clusters of ripe grapes,
            Which load the bunches of the fruitful vine.
                                                  --Spenser.
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   2. A number of similar things collected together or lying
      contiguous; a group; as, a cluster of islands. "Cluster of
      provinces." --Motley.
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   3. A number of individuals grouped together or collected in
      one place; a crowd; a mob.
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            As bees . . .
            Pour forth their populous youth about the hive
            In clusters.                          --Milton.
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            We loved him; but, like beasts
            And cowardly nobles, gave way unto your clusters,
            Who did hoot him out o' the city.     --Shak.
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cluster
clustering

   1. <architecture> Multiple {servers} providing the same
   service.  The term may imply {resilience} to failure and/or
   some kind of {load balancing} between the servers.  Compare
   {RAIS}.

   2. <file system> An elementary unit of allocation of a {disk}
   made up of one or more physical {blocks}.

   A {file} is made up of a whole number of possibly
   non-contiguous clusters.  The cluster size is a tradeoff
   between space efficiency (the bigger is the cluster, the
   bigger is on the average the wasted space at the end of each
   file) and the length of the {FAT}.

   (1996-11-04)
    

187 Moby Thesaurus words for "cluster":
      accumulate, adhere, agglomerate, agglomeration, aggregate, aggroup,
      amass, army, array, assemblage, assemble, assembly, associate,
      band, batch, bevy, block, body, breccia, bring together, bulk,
      bunch, bunch together, bunch up, bundle, cake, clabber, clasp,
      cleave, clinch, cling, cling to, clot, clump, clutch, coagulate,
      cohere, cohue, collect, collection, colligate, collocate, combine,
      come together, company, compare, compile, concrete, concretion,
      congeal, conglomerate, conglomeration, congregate, congregation,
      converge, copse, copulate, corral, couple, covey, crew, crop,
      crowd, crush, cumulate, curd, curdle, date, deluge, dig up,
      draw together, dredge up, drive together, embrace, flock,
      flock together, flood, flow together, forgather, freeze to, fuse,
      galaxy, gang around, gang up, gather, gather around, gather in,
      gather together, gathering, gel, gelatinate, gelatinize, get in,
      get together, grasp, group, grouping, groupment, grove,
      grow together, hang on, hang together, hassock, heap,
      herd together, hive, hold, hold on, hold together, horde, host,
      huddle, hug, incrassate, inspissate, jam, jell, jellify, jelly,
      join, juxtapose, knot, league, legion, link, lopper, lot, lump,
      lump together, make up, mass, match, meet, merge, mess, mill, mob,
      mobilize, multitude, muster, node, package, pair, panoply, parcel,
      partner, party, persist, press, put together, rabble, raise,
      rake up, rally, rally around, rendezvous, round up, rout, ruck,
      scrape together, seethe, set, shock, slew, solid, solid body,
      solidify, spate, stay, stay put, stick, stick together, stook,
      stream, surge, swarm, take hold of, take up, thick, thicken,
      thicket, throng, tuft, tussock, unite, whip in, wisp