detent
Also found in: Thesaurus, Acronyms, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia.
de·tent
(dĭ-tĕnt′)n.
A catch or lever that locks the movement of one part of a mechanism.
[French détente, a loosening, from Old French destente, from feminine past participle of destendre, to release : des-, de- + tendre, to stretch (from Latin tendere; see ten- in Indo-European roots).]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
detent
(dɪˈtɛnt)n
(Mechanical Engineering) the locking piece of a mechanism, often spring-loaded to check the movement of a wheel in one direction only. See also pawl
[C17: from Old French destente, a loosening, trigger: see détente]
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
de•tent
(dɪˈtɛnt)n.
a mechanism that temporarily keeps one part in a certain position relative to another, and can be released by applying force to one of the parts.
[1680–90; < French détente, Old French destente, derivative of destendre to relax =des- dis-1 + tendre to stretch; see tender2]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
Noun | 1. | detent - a hinged catch that fits into a notch of a ratchet to move a wheel forward or prevent it from moving backward |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
Translations