detent
Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary
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[edit] English
[edit] Etymology
From French détente < Latin tendere (“‘to stretch’”).
[edit] Noun
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Singular |
Plural |
detent (plural detents)
- That which locks or unlocks a movement; a catch, pawl, or dog; especially, in clockwork, the catch which locks and unlocks the wheelwork in striking.
- 1972, Mayer et al., United States Patent 3760640, abstract:
- A UHF tuner having 70 detent positions with fine tuning capability at all locations. Coarse tuning is accomplished via a toothed, detented disk and a spirally-extending rim having a follower lever operable therewith.
- 1972, Mayer et al., United States Patent 3760640, abstract:
[edit] Verb
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Infinitive |
Third person singular |
Simple past |
Past participle |
Present participle |
to detent (third-person singular simple present detents, present participle detenting, simple past and past participle detented)
- The action of creating a detent mechanism to lock or unlock movement.
[edit] External links
- detent in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
- detent in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911
- detent at OneLook® Dictionary Search
