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mechanism
From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
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English
Etymology
Learned borrowing from New Latin mechanismus, from Ancient Greek μηχανή (mēkhanḗ, “machine”).
Pronunciation
Noun
mechanism (countable and uncountable, plural mechanisms)
- (within a machine or machinery) Any mechanical means for the conversion or control of motion, or the transmission or control of power.
- Any combination of cams, gears, links, belts, chains and logical mechanical elements.
- 2012 March, Henry Petroski, “Opening Doors”, in American Scientist, volume 100, number 2, pages 112–3:
- A doorknob of whatever roundish shape is effectively a continuum of levers, with the axis of the latching mechanism—known as the spindle—being the fulcrum about which the turning takes place.
- A group of entities, such as objects, that interact together.
- 2015 December 21, Michael D. Geschwind, “Prion Diseases”, in Continuum (Minneap Minn), :
- A very rare polymorphism in the prion protein gene recently has been identified that appears to protect against prion disease; this finding, in addition to providing greater understanding of the prionlike mechanisms of neurodegenerative disorders, might lead to potential treatments.
- 2023 March 22, 'Industry Insider', “Restoring Your Railway”, in RAIL, number 979, page 68:
- Outside the boundaries of the PTEs [Passenger Transport Executives], there was little mechanism to re-open routes, and despite a growing realisation that the lack of transport connectivity was a big contributor towards social deprivation and poor economic performance, there was little government policy recognition.
- A mental, physical, or chemical process.
- Any process of, or system designed to manage useful energy conversion.
- (philosophy) The theory that all natural phenomena can be explained by physical causes.
Derived terms
- Anderson-Higgs mechanism
- antimechanism
- automechanism
- biomechanism
- Brout-Englert-Higgs mechanism
- control mechanism
- coping mechanism
- defense mechanism, defence mechanism
- flintlock mechanism
- Geneva mechanism
- Greisen-Zatsepin-Kuzmin mechanism
- GZK mechanism
- Higgs mechanism
- immunomechanism
- mechanismic
- mechanism of death
- mechanist
- mechanistic
- micromechanism
- nanomechanism
- neuromechanism
- pathomechanism
- Penrose mechanism
- pyromechanism
- reaction mechanism
- servomechanism
- servo-mechanism
- servomechanism
- submechanism
- telemechanism
Related terms
Descendants
- → Welsh: mecanism
Translations
mechanical means for the conversion or control of motion
|
mental, chemical, or physical process
|
process of, or system designed to manage useful energy conversion
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