n. In general, a turning or changing from one State or form to another; transmutation; transformation: sometimes implying total loss of identity: as, a conversion of water into ice, or of food into chyle or blood; the conversion of a thing from its original purpose to another; the conversion of land into money.n. Specifically In logic, that immediate. inference which transforms a proposition into another whose subject-term is the predicate-term, and whose predicate-term the subject-term, of the former.n. where the vowels of feci, eva, astro, show the kinds of propositions which can be converted in the three ways. (See A, 2 .) A diminute conversion is a conversion of a proposition such that the consequent asserts less than the antecedent: as, All lawyers are honest, and therefore some honest men are lawyers. An improper or reductive conversion is a conversion per accidens or by contraposition. A universal conversion is an inference by conversion whose conclusion is a universal proposition; a partial conversion, one whose conclusion is a particular proposition. [The Latin conversio was first used in this sense by Appuleius to translate Aristotle's ἀντιστροφ/η.]n. In theology, a radical and complete change, sudden or gradual, in the spirit, purpose, and direction of the life, from one of self-seeking and enmity toward God to one of love toward God and man.n. Change from one religion to another, or from one side or party to another, especially from one that is regarded as false to one that is regarded as true.n. Milit.: A change of front, as of a body of troops attacked in flank. The application of condemned stores to uses other than that originally intended.n. In ordnance, the alteration of a smooth-bore gun into a rifled gun by inserting a lining-tube of wrought-iron or steel.n. In law: An unauthorized assumption and exercise of the right of ownership over personal property belonging to another in hostility to his rights; an act of dominion over the personal property of another inconsistent with his rights; unauthorized appropriation. A change from realty into personalty, or vice versa. See equitable conversion, under equitable.n. Nautical, the reduction of a vessel by one deck, so as to convert a line-of-battle ship into a frigate, or a crank three-decker into a good two-decker, or a serviceable vessel into a hulk.n. In dyeing. See extract.n. Substitution of or exchange for something else, especially of one kind of property for another; specifically, the change of an issue of public securities, of bonds, debentures, stocks, shares, etc., into another of different character or with an altered (generally reduced) rate of interest. Also attributively: as, conversion scheme, conversion operation, etc.n. In ship-building, the selection, laying out, and working of plank and timber so as to have the least possible waste.n. In forestry, a change from one system of forest management to another, as from the sprout system to the seed system.n. In steel manuf., the process of changing iron into steel, especially by the cementation process. See cementation.
