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Meaning of AXIS

Pronunciation:  'aksis

WordNet Dictionary
 
 Definition: 
  1. [n]  the center around which something rotates
  2. [n]  the 2nd cervical vertebra; serves as a pivot for turning the head
  3. [n]  a straight line through a body or figure that satisfies certain conditions
  4. [n]  a group of countries in special alliance
  5. [n]  the main stem or central part about which plant organs or plant parts such as branches are arranged
 
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 Synonyms: axis of rotation, axis vertebra, bloc
 
 See Also: alignment, alinement, alliance, cervical vertebra, coalition, coordinate axis, line, major axis, mechanism, minor axis, neck bone, odontoid process, optic axis, pin, pivot, principal axis, rachis, rotor head, rotor shaft, scheduled territories, semimajor axis, semiminor axis, spadix, stalk, stele, stem, sterling area, sterling bloc

 

 

Products Dictionary
 
 Definition: 

Axis
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Webster's 1913 Dictionary
 
 Definition: 
  1. \Ax"is\, n. [L.] (Zo["o]l.)
    The spotted deer ({Cervus axis} or {Axis maculata}) of India,
    where it is called {hog deer} and {parrah} (Moorish name).
    
  2. \Ax"is\, n.; pl. {Axes}. [L. axis axis, axle. See {Axle}.]
    A straight line, real or imaginary, passing through a body,
    on which it revolves, or may be supposed to revolve; a line
    passing through a body or system around which the parts are
    symmetrically arranged.
    2. (Math.) A straight line with respect to which the
       different parts of a magnitude are symmetrically arranged;
       as, the axis of a cylinder, i. e., the axis of a cone,
       that is, the straight line joining the vertex and the
       center of the base; the axis of a circle, any straight
       line passing through the center.
    3. (Bot.) The stem; the central part, or longitudinal
       support, on which organs or parts are arranged; the
       central line of any body. --Gray.
    4. (Anat.)
       (a) The second vertebra of the neck, or {vertebra
           dentata}.
       (b) Also used of the body only of the vertebra, which is
           prolonged anteriorly within the foramen of the first
           vertebra or atlas, so as to form the odontoid process
           or peg which serves as a pivot for the atlas and head
           to turn upon.
    5. (Crystallog.) One of several imaginary lines, assumed in
       describing the position of the planes by which a crystal
       is bounded.
    6. (Fine Arts) The primary or secondary central line of any
       design.
    {Anticlinal axis} (Geol.), a line or ridge from which the
       strata slope downward on the two opposite sides.
    {Synclinal axis}, a line from which the strata slope upward
       in opposite directions, so as to form a valley.
    {Axis cylinder} (Anat.), the neuraxis or essential, central
       substance of a nerve fiber; -- called also {axis band},
       {axial fiber}, and {cylinder axis}.
    {Axis in peritrochio}, the wheel and axle, one of the
       mechanical powers.
    {Axis of a curve} (Geom.), a straight line which bisects a
       system of parallel chords of a curve; called a {principal
       axis}, when cutting them at right angles, in which case it
       divides the curve into two symmetrical portions, as in the
       parabola, which has one such axis, the ellipse, which has
       two, or the circle, which has an infinite number. The two
       axes of the ellipse are the {major axis} and the {minor
       axis}, and the two axes of the hyperbola are the
       {transverse axis} and the {conjugate axis}.
    {Axis of a lens}, the straight line passing through its
       center and perpendicular to its surfaces.
    {Axis of a} {telescope or microscope}, the straight line with
       which coincide the axes of the several lenses which
       compose it.
    {Axes of co["o]rdinates in a plane}, two straight lines
       intersecting each other, to which points are referred for
       the purpose of determining their relative position: they
       are either rectangular or oblique.
    {Axes of co["o]rdinates in space}, the three straight lines
       in which the co["o]rdinate planes intersect each other.
    {Axis of a balance}, that line about which it turns.
    {Axis of oscillation}, of a pendulum, a right line passing
       through the center about which it vibrates, and
       perpendicular to the plane of vibration.
    {Axis of polarization}, the central line around which the
       prismatic rings or curves are arranged. --Brewster.
    {Axis of revolution} (Descriptive Geom.), a straight line
       about which some line or plane is revolved, so that the
       several points of the line or plane shall describe circles
       with their centers in the fixed line, and their planes
       perpendicular to it, the line describing a surface of
       revolution, and the plane a solid of revolution.
    {Axis of symmetry} (Geom.), any line in a plane figure which
       divides the figure into two such parts that one part, when
       folded over along the axis, shall coincide with the other
       part.
    {Axis of the} {equator, ecliptic, horizon} (or other circle
       considered with reference to the sphere on which it lies),
       the diameter of the sphere which is perpendicular to the
       plane of the circle. --Hutton.
    {Axis of the Ionic capital} (Arch.), a line passing
       perpendicularly through the middle of the eye of the
       volute.
    {Neutral axis} (Mech.), the line of demarcation between the
       horizontal elastic forces of tension and compression,
       exerted by the fibers in any cross section of a girder.
    {Optic axis of a crystal}, the direction in which a ray of
       transmitted light suffers no double refraction. All
       crystals, not of the isometric system, are either uniaxial
       or biaxial.
    {Optic axis}, {Visual axis} (Opt.), the straight line passing
       through the center of the pupil, and perpendicular to the
       surface of the eye.
    {Radical axis of two circles} (Geom.), the straight line
       perpendicular to the line joining their centers and such
       that the tangents from any point of it to the two circles
       shall be equal to each other.
    {Spiral axis} (Arch.), the axis of a twisted column drawn
       spirally in order to trace the circumvolutions without.
    {Axis of abscissas} and {Axis of ordinates}. See {Abscissa}.
    
 
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Biology Dictionary
 
 Definition: 
  1. The main stem of a plant.
  2. In botany terminology: a stem, commonly used for the main stem of a whole plant or of an inflorescence.
 
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Thesaurus Terms
 
 Related Terms: air line, alliance, anthrophore, arbor, assemblage, association, axle, axle bar, axle shaft, axle spindle, axle-tree, band, bearing, beeline, bloc, body, bole, Bund, cane, carpophore, caudex, caulicle, caulis, center, center of action, center of gravity, centroid, centrum, chord, coalition, college, combination, combine, common market, confederacy, confederation, consumer cooperative, cooperative, cooperative society, core, corps, council, credit union, culm, customs union, dead center, diagonal, diameter, direct line, directrix, distaff, economic community, edge, epicenter, federation, footstalk, free trade area, fulcrum, funicule, funiculus, gang, gimbal, great-circle course, group, grouping, gudgeon, haulm, heart, hinge, hingle, horizontal axis, hub, kernel, leafstalk, league, machine, mandrel, marrow, medulla, metacenter, middle, mob, nave, navel, normal, nub, nucleus, oarlock, omphalos, partnership, pedicel, peduncle, perpendicular, petiole, petiolule, petiolus, pin, pintle, pith, pivot, pole, political machine, radiant, radius, radius vector, reed, rest, resting point, right line, ring, Rochdale cooperative, rowlock, secant, seedstalk, segment, shortcut, side, society, spear, spindle, spire, stalk, stem, stipe, stock, storm center, straight, straight course, straight line, straight stretch, straightaway, straw, streamline, swivel, tangent, thole, tholepin, tigella, transversal, trunk, trunnion, umbilicus, union, vector, yaw
 

 

 

 

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