Gyration

3 definitions found

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

  Gyration \Gy*ra"tion\ (j[-i]*r[=a]"sh[u^]n), n.
     1. The act of turning or whirling, as around a fixed center;
        a circular or spiral motion; motion about an axis;
        rotation; revolution.
        [1913 Webster]
  


              The gyrations of an ascending balloon. --De Quincey.
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              If a burning coal be nimbly moved round in a circle,
              with gyrations continually repeated, the whole
              circle will appear like fire.         --Sir I.
                                                    Newton.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. (Zool.) One of the whorls of a spiral univalve shell.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     {Center of gyration}. (Mech.) See under {Center}.
  
     {Radius of gyration}, the distance between the axis of a
        rotating body and its center of gyration. --Rankine.
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  gyration
       n 1: a single complete turn (axial or orbital); "the plane made
            three rotations before it crashed"; "the revolution of
            the earth about the sun takes one year" [syn: {rotation},
             {revolution}]
       2: the act of rotating in a circle or spiral [syn: {whirling}]

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

  38 Moby Thesaurus words for "gyration":
     angular momentum, angular motion, angular velocity, axial motion,
     bowling, centrifugation, circuit, circulation, circumgyration,
     circumrotation, circumvolution, full circle, gyre, pivoting,
     reeling, revolution, roll, rolling, rotation, rotational motion,
     round, spin, spinning, swinging, swirling, swiveling, trolling,
     trundling, turbination, turn, turning, volutation, volution, wheel,
     wheeling, whir, whirl, whirling