Elastic

4 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Elastic \E*las"tic\ ([-e]*l[a^]s"t[i^]k), a. [Formed fr. Gr.
     'elay`nein to drive; prob. akin to L. alacer lively, brisk,
     and E. alacrity: cf. F. ['e]lastique.]
     1. Springing back; having a power or inherent property of
        returning to the form from which a substance is bent,
        drawn, pressed, or twisted; springy; having the power of


        rebounding; as, a bow is elastic; the air is elastic;
        India rubber is elastic.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              Capable of being drawn out by force like a piece of
              elastic gum, and by its own elasticity returning,
              when the force is removed, to its former position.
                                                    --Paley.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. Able to return quickly to a former state or condition,
        after being depressed or overtaxed; having power to
        recover easily from shocks and trials; as, elastic
        spirits; an elastic constitution.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     {Elastic bitumen}. (Min.) See {Elaterite}.
  
     {Elastic curve}.
        (a) (Geom.) The curve made by a thin elastic rod fixed
            horizontally at one end and loaded at the other.
        (b) (Mech.) The figure assumed by the longitudinal axis of
            an originally straight bar under any system of bending
            forces. --Rankine.
  
     {Elastic fluids}, those which have the property of expanding
        in all directions on the removal of external pressure, as
        the air, steam, and other gases and vapors.
  
     {Elastic limit} (Mech.), the limit of distortion, by bending,
        stretching, etc., that a body can undergo and yet return
        to its original form when relieved from stress; also, the
        unit force or stress required to produce this distortion.
        Within the elastic limit the distortion is directly
        proportional to the stress producing it.
  
     {Elastic tissue} (Anat.), a variety of connective tissue
        consisting of a network of slender and very elastic fibers
        which are but slightly affected by acids or alkalies.
  
     {Gum elastic}, caoutchouc.
        [1913 Webster]

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Elastic \E*las"tic\, n.
     An elastic woven fabric, as a belt, braces or suspenders,
     etc., made in part of India rubber. [Colloq.]
     [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  elastic
       adj 1: capable of resuming original shape after stretching or
              compression; springy; "an elastic band"; "a youthful
              and elastic walk" [ant: {inelastic}]
       2: able to adjust readily to different conditions; "an
          adaptable person"; "a flexible personality"; "an elastic
          clause in a contract" [syn: {flexible}, {pliable}, {pliant}]
       n 1: a narrow band of elastic rubber used to hold things (such as
            papers) together [syn: {rubber band}, {elastic band}]
       2: an elastic fabric made of yarns containing an elastic
          material

From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:

  102 Moby Thesaurus words for "elastic":
     Lastex, accommodating, adaptable, adaptive, adjustable, airy,
     animated, baleen, battledore, bendable, bending, bouncy, buoyant,
     chewing gum, compliant, compressible, contractile, convalescent,
     dilatant, distensive, ductile, ebullient, effervescent, elastomer,
     expandable, expansible, expansile, expansional, expansive,
     extensible, extensile, extensional, extensive, fabricable, facile,
     fictile, flexible, flexile, flexuous, formable, formative, gay,
     giving, gum, gum elastic, handball, high-spirited, impressible,
     impressionable, inflatable, inflationary, jumping jack, like putty,
     limber, lissome, lithe, lithesome, lively, malleable, mettlesome,
     moldable, plastic, pliable, pliant, racket, receptive,
     recuperative, recuperatory, resilient, responsive, reviviscent,
     rubber, rubber ball, rubber band, rubberlike, rubbery, sensitive,
     sequacious, shapable, soaring, spandex, spirited, sprightly,
     spring, springboard, springy, stretch, stretch fabric, stretchable,
     stretchy, submissive, supple, susceptible, tractable, tractile,
     trampoline, vivacious, volatile, whalebone, whippy, willowy,
     yielding