variance
1. a difference or discrepancy between two steps in a legal proceeding, esp between a statement in a pleading and the evidence given to support it
2. (in the US and Canada) a licence or authority issued by the board of variance to contravene the usual rule, esp to build contrary to the provision of a zoning code
3. Chem the number of degrees of freedom of a system, used in the phase rule
Collins Discovery Encyclopedia, 1st edition © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
Variance
The waiving of a zoning restriction, such as the width of a side yard, for a particular site, typically approved by a Board of Zoning Adjustments, or similar body upon appeal by an owner for hardship reasons.
Illustrated Dictionary of Architecture Copyright © 2012, 2002, 1998 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved
variance
see MEASURES OF DISPERSION.Collins Dictionary of Sociology, 3rd ed. © HarperCollins Publishers 2000
variance
[′ver·ē·əns] (statistics)
The square of the standard deviation.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific & Technical Terms, 6E, Copyright © 2003 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
variance
A written authorization, from the responsible agency, permitting construction in a manner which is not allowed by code or other regulations.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Architecture and Construction. Copyright © 2003 by McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.