infinity
    n 1: time without end [syn: eternity, infinity]

Infinity \In*fin"i*ty\, n.; pl. Infinities. [L. infinitas;
   pref. in- not + finis boundary, limit, end: cf. F.
   infinit['e]. See Finite.]
   [1913 Webster]
   1. Unlimited extent of time, space, or quantity; eternity;
      boundlessness; immensity. --Sir T. More.
      [1913 Webster]

            There can not be more infinities than one; for one
            of them would limit the other.        --Sir W.
                                                  Raleigh.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. Unlimited capacity, energy, excellence, or knowledge; as,
      the infinity of God and his perfections. --Hooker.
      [1913 Webster]

   3. Endless or indefinite number; great multitude; as an
      infinity of beauties. --Broome.
      [1913 Webster]

   4. (Math.) A quantity greater than any assignable quantity of
      the same kind.
      [1913 Webster]

   Note: Mathematically considered, infinity is always a limit
         of a variable quantity, resulting from a particular
         supposition made upon the varying element which enters
         it. --Davies & Peck (Math. Dict.).
         [1913 Webster]

   5. (Geom.) That part of a line, or of a plane, or of space,
      which is infinitely distant. In modern geometry, parallel
      lines or planes are sometimes treated as lines or planes
      meeting at infinity.
      [1913 Webster]

   Circle at infinity, an imaginary circle at infinity,
      through which, in geometry of three dimensions, every
      sphere is imagined to pass.

   Circular points at infinity. See under Circular.
      [1913 Webster]

infinity
 n.

    1. The largest value that can be represented in a particular type of
    variable (register, memory location, data type, whatever).

    2. minus infinity: The smallest such value, not necessarily or even usually
    the simple negation of plus infinity. In N-bit twos-complement arithmetic,
    infinity is 2^N-1 - 1 but minus infinity is - (2^N-1), not -(2^N-1 - 1).
    Note also that this is different from time T equals minus infinity, which
    is closer to a mathematician's usage of infinity.

infinity

   1.  The size of something infinite.

   Using the word in the context of sets is sloppy, since
   different infinite sets aren't necessarily the same size
   cardinality as each other.

   See also aleph 0

   2.  The largest value that can be represented in
   a particular type of variable (register, memory location,
   data type, whatever).

   See also minus infinity.

   [Jargon File]

   (1994-11-18)