Portion, n.
Etymology: [F., from L. portio, akin to pars, partis, a part. See Part, n.]
1. That which is divided off or separated, as a part from a whole; a separated part of anything.
2. A part considered by itself, though not actually cut off or separated from the whole. These are parts of his ways; but how little a portion is heard of him! Job xxvi. 14. Portions and parcels of the dreadful past. Tennyson.
3. A part assigned; allotment; share; fate. The lord of that servant . . . will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers. Luke xii. 46. Man's portion is to die and rise again. Keble.
4. The part of an estate given to a child or heir, or descending to him by law, and distributed to him in the settlement of the estate; an inheritance. Give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. Luke xv. 12.
2 more senses
5. A wife's fortune; a dowry. Shak.
Syn. -- Division; share; parcel; quantity; allotment; dividend. -- Portion, Part. Part is generic, having a simple reference to some whole. Portion has the additional idea of such a division as bears reference to an individual, or is allotted to some object; as, a portion of one's time; a portion of Scripture.
1 other Webster entry under this spelling
Portion, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Portioned; p. pr. & vb. n. Portioning.]
1. To separate or divide into portions or shares; to parcel; to distribute. And portion to his tribes the wide domain. Pope.
2. To endow with a portion or inheritance. Him portioned maids, apprenticed orphans, blest. Pope.
Shades of meaning
When any whole is divided into parts, any part that is allotted to some person, thing, subject or purpose is called a portion, tho the division may be by no fixed rule or relation; a father may divide his estate by will among his children so as to make their several portions great or small, according to his arbitrary and unreasonable caprice. When we speak of a part as a proportion, we think of the whole as divided according to some rule or scale, so that the different parts bear a contemplated and intended relation or ratio to one another; thus, the portion allotted to a child by will may not be a fair proportion of the estate. Proportion is often used where part or portion would be more appropriate. Compare part.