Vortices

3 definitions found

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

  Vortex \Vor"tex\, n.; pl. E. {Vortexes}, L. {Vortices}. [L.
     vortex, vertex, -icis, fr. vortere, vertere, to turn. See
     {Vertex}.]
     [1913 Webster]
     1. A mass of fluid, especially of a liquid, having a whirling
        or circular motion tending to form a cavity or vacuum in


        the center of the circle, and to draw in towards the
        center bodies subject to its action; the form assumed by a
        fluid in such motion; a whirlpool; an eddy.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. (Cartesian System) A supposed collection of particles of
        very subtile matter, endowed with a rapid rotary motion
        around an axis which was also the axis of a sun or a
        planet. Descartes attempted to account for the formation
        of the universe, and the movements of the bodies composing
        it, by a theory of vortices.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. (Zool.) Any one of numerous species of small Turbellaria
        belonging to {Vortex} and allied genera. See Illustration
        in Appendix.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     {Vortex atom} (Chem.), a hypothetical ring-shaped mass of
        elementary matter in continuous vortical motion. It was
        conveniently regarded in certain early mathematical models
        as the typical form and structure of the chemical atom,
        but is no longer considered a useful model, having been
        superseded by quantum mechanics.
  
     {Vortex wheel}, a kind of turbine.
        [1913 Webster +PJC]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  vortex
       n 1: the shape of something rotating rapidly [syn: {whirl}, {swirl},
             {convolution}]
       2: a powerful circular current of water (usually the resulting
          of conflicting tides) [syn: {whirlpool}, {maelstrom}]
       [also: {vortices} (pl)]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  vortices
       See {vortex}