English
webster
Etymology
From F., from LL. torsio, from L. term|torqueo|torque�|twist, turn|lang=la. See torture.
Noun
torsion
#The act of turning or twisting, or the state of being twisted; the twisting or wrenching of a body by the exertion of a lateral force tending to turn one end or part of it about a longitudinal axis, while the other is held fast or turned in the opposite direction.
#(Mechanics) That force with which a thread, wire, or rod of any material, returns, or tends to return, to a state of rest after it has been twisted; torsibility.
:angle of torsion (of a curve) (Geometry)
:#the indefinitely small angle between two consecutive osculating planes of a curve of double curvature.
:moment of torsion
:#(Mechanics) the moment of a pair of equal and opposite couples which tend to twist a body.
:torsion balance
:#(Physics), an instrument for estimating very minute forces, as electric or magnetic attractions and repulsions, by the torsion of a very slender wire or fiber having at its lower extremity a horizontal bar or needle, upon which the forces act.
:torsion scale
:#a scale for weighing in which the fulcra of the levers or beams are strained wires or strips acting by torsion.
Category:Scripps winning words
fa:torsion
fr:torsion
io:torsion
pl:torsion
ru:torsion
vi:torsion
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