Slipstick

2 definitions found

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

  Slide rule \Slide" rule`\, n.
     a thin, flat calculating device consisting of a fixed outer
     piece and a movable middle piece. Both pieces are graduated
     in such a way (as, by a logarithmic scale) that
     multiplication, division, and other mathematical functions of
     an input variable may be rapidly determined by movement of


     the middle pieces to a location on one scale corresponding to
     the input value, and reading off the result on another scale.
     A movable window with a hairline assists in alignment of the
     scales. This device has been largely superseded by the
     electronic calculator, which has a greater precision than the
     slide rule. Also called colloquially {slipstick}.
     [PJC]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  slipstick
       n : analog computer consisting of a handheld instrument used for
           rapid calculations; have been replaced by pocket
           calculators [syn: {slide rule}]