1.  collation(n = noun.food) bite, snack - a light informal meal;
is a kind of meal, repast
has particulars: refreshment, nosh, coffee break, tea break

2.  collation(n = noun.act) - assembling in proper numerical or logical sequence;
is a kind of aggregation, assembling, collecting, collection
Derived form verb collate₂

3.  collation(n = noun.act) - careful examination and comparison to note points of disagreement;
is a kind of comparing, comparison
Derived form verb collate₁

1.  The act of collating or comparing; a comparison of one copy er thing (as of a book, or manuscript) with another of a like kind; comparison, in general. Pope. [1913 Webster]

2.  The gathering and examination of sheets preparatory to binding. [1913 Webster]

3.  The act of conferring or bestowing. [1913 Webster]
"Not by the collation of the king . . . but by the people." [1913 Webster]

4.  A conference. Chaucer. [1913 Webster]

5.  The presentation of a clergyman to a benefice by a bishop, who has it in his own gift. [1913 Webster]

6.  The act of comparing the copy of any paper with its original to ascertain its conformity. [1913 Webster]

7.  The right which an heir has of throwing the whole heritable and movable estates of the deceased into one mass, and sharing it equally with others who are of the same degree of kindred. [1913 Webster]
" This also obtains in the civil law, and is found in the code of Louisiana." Bouvier. [1913 Webster]

8.  A collection of the Lives of the Fathers or other devout work read daily in monasteries. [1913 Webster]

9.  A light repast or luncheon; as, a cold collation; -- first applied to the refreshment on fast days that accompanied the reading of the collation in monasteries. [1913 Webster]
"A collation of wine and sweetmeats." [1913 Webster]

   To partake of a collation. [1913 Webster]
"May 20, 1658, I . . . collationed in Spring Garden." [1913 Webster]

collation, n.
1 the act or an instance of collating.
2 RC Ch. a light meal allowed during a fast.
3 a light informal meal.

Etymology:
ME f. OF f. L collatio -onis (see COLLATE): sense 2 f. Cassian's Collationes Patrum (= Lives of the Fathers) read by Benedictines and followed by a light meal

N  food, eating, deglutition, gulp, epulation, mastication, manducation, rumination, gluttony, hippophagy, ichthyophagy, (appetite), mouth, jaws, mandible, mazard, gob, chops, drinking, potation, draught, libation, carousal, drunkenness, food, pabulum, aliment, nourishment, nutriment, sustenance, sustentation, sustention, nurture, subsistence, provender, corn, feed, fodder, provision, ration, keep, commons, board, commissariat, prey, forage, pasture, pasturage, fare, cheer, diet, dietary, regimen, belly timber, staff of life, bread, bread and cheese, comestibles, eatables, victuals, edibles, ingesta, grub, grubstake, prog, meat, bread, bread stuffs, cerealia, cereals, viands, cates, delicacy, dainty, creature comforts, contents of the larder, fleshpots, festal board, ambrosia, good cheer, good living, beef, bisquit, bun, cornstarch, cookie, cooky, cracker, doughnut, fatling, hardtack, hoecake, hominy, mutton, pilot bread, pork, roti, rusk, ship biscuit, veal, joint, piece de resistance, roast and boiled, remove, entremet, releve, hash, rechauffe, stew, ragout, fricassee, mince, pottage, potage, broth, soup, consomme, puree, spoonmeat, pie, pasty, volauvent, pudding, omelet, pastry, sweets, kickshaws, condiment, appetizer, hors d'oeuvre, main course, entree, alligator pear, apple, apple slump, artichoke, ashcake, griddlecake, pancake, flapjack, atole, avocado, banana, beche de mer, barbecue, beefsteak, beet root, blackberry, blancmange, bloater, bouilli, bouillon, breadfruit, chop suey, chowder, chupatty, clam, compote, damper, fish, frumenty, grapes, hasty pudding, ice cream, lettuce, mango, mangosteen, mince pie, oatmeal, oyster, pineapple, porridge, porterhouse steak, salmis, sauerkraut, sea slug, sturgeon ("Albany beef"), succotash, supawn, trepang, vanilla, waffle, walnut, table, cuisine, bill of fare, menu, table d'hote, ordinary, entree, meal, repast, feed, spread, mess, dish, plate, course, regale, regalement, refreshment, entertainment, refection, collation, picnic, feast, banquet, junket, breakfast, lunch, luncheon, dejeuner, bever, tiffin, dinner, supper, snack, junk food, fast food, whet, bait, dessert, potluck, table d'hote, dejeuner a la fourchette, hearty meal, square meal, substantial meal, full meal, blowout, light refreshment, bara, chotahazri, bara khana, mouthful, bolus, gobbet, morsel, sop, sippet, drink, beverage, liquor, broth, soup, potion, dram, draught, drench, swill, nip, sip, sup, gulp, wine, spirits, liqueur, beer, ale, malt liquor, Sir John Barleycorn, stingo, heavy wet, grog, toddy, flip, purl, punch, negus, cup, bishop, wassail, gin, coffee, chocolate, cocoa, tea, the cup that cheers but not inebriates, bock beer, lager beer, Pilsener beer, schenck beer, Brazil tea, cider, claret, ice water, mate, mint julep, near beer, 2 beer, non- alcoholic beverage, eating house, diner, hippophage, glutton, eatable, edible, esculent, comestible, alimentary, cereal, cibarious, dietetic, culinary, nutritive, nutritious, gastric, succulent, potable, potulent, bibulous, omnivorous, carnivorous, herbivorous, granivorous, graminivorous, phytivorous, ichthyivorous, omophagic, omophagous, pantophagous, phytophagous, xylophagous, across the walnuts and the wine, blessed hour of our dinners!, now good digestion wait on appetite, and health on both!, who can cloy the hungry edge of appetite?.

N  comparison, collation, contrast, identification, comparative estimate, relative estimate, relativity, simile, similitude, analogy (similarity), allegory, matching, pattern-matching, ratio, proportion (number), discrimination, indiscrimination, identification, comparative, metaphorical, compared with, comparable, judged by comparison, relatively, as compared with, comparisons are odious, comparisons are odorous.