Lens

3 definitions found

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

  Lens \Lens\ (l[e^]nz), n.; pl. {Lenses} (-[e^]z). [L. lens a
     lentil. So named from the resemblance in shape of a double
     convex lens to the seed of a lentil. Cf. {Lentil}.] (Opt.)
     A piece of glass, or other transparent substance, ground with
     two opposite regular surfaces, either both curved, or one
     curved and the other plane, and commonly used, either singly


     or combined, in optical instruments, for changing the
     direction of rays of light, and thus magnifying objects, or
     otherwise modifying vision. In practice, the curved surfaces
     are usually spherical, though rarely cylindrical, or of some
     other figure.
     [1913 Webster] Lenses
     [1913 Webster]
  
     Note: Of spherical lenses, there are six varieties, as shown
           in section in the figures herewith given: viz., a
           plano-concave; b double-concave; c plano-convex; d
           double-convex; e converging concavo-convex, or
           converging meniscus; f diverging concavo-convex, or
           diverging meniscus.
           [1913 Webster]
  
     {Crossed lens} (Opt.), a double-convex lens with one radius
        equal to six times the other.
  
     {Crystalline lens}. (Anat.) See {Eye}.
  
     {Fresnel lens} (Opt.), a compound lens formed by placing
        around a central convex lens rings of glass so curved as
        to have the same focus; used, especially in lighthouses,
        for concentrating light in a particular direction; -- so
        called from the inventor.
  
     {Multiplying lens} or {Multiplying glass} (Opt.), a lens one
        side of which is plane and the other convex, but made up
        of a number of plane faces inclined to one another, each
        of which presents a separate image of the object viewed
        through it, so that the object is, as it were, multiplied.
        
  
     {Polyzonal lens}. See {Polyzonal}.
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  lens
       n 1: a transparent optical device used to converge or diverge
            transmitted light and to form images [syn: {lense}, {lens
            system}]
       2: genus of small erect or climbing herbs with pinnate leaves
          and small inconspicuous white flowers and small flattened
          pods: lentils [syn: {genus Lens}]
       3: (metaphor) a channel through which something can be seen or
          understood; "the writer is the lens through which history
          can be seen"
       4: biconvex transparent body situated behind the iris in the
          eye; it focuses light waves on the retina [syn: {crystalline
          lens}]
       5: electronic equipment that uses a magnetic or electric field
          in order to focus a beam of electrons [syn: {electron lens}]

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

  27 Moby Thesaurus words for "lens":
     baby blues, banjo eyes, bright eyes, clear eyes, cornea, eye,
     eyeball, eyelid, goggle eyes, iris, lid, naked eye,
     nictitating membrane, oculus, optic, optic nerve, orb,
     organ of vision, peeper, popeyes, pupil, retina, saucer eyes,
     sclera, starry orbs, unaided eye, visual organ