4  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Tangent  \Tan"gent\,  n.  [L.  tangens,  -entis,  p.  pr  of  tangere  to 
  touch;  akin  to  Gr  ?  having  seized:  cf  F.  tangente.  Cf 
  {Attain},  {Contaminate},  {Contingent},  {Entire},  {Tact}, 
  {Taste},  {Tax},  v.  t.]  (Geom.) 
  A  tangent  line  curve,  or  surface;  specifically,  that  portion 
  of  the  straight  line  tangent  to  a  curve  that  is  between  the 
  point  of  tangency  and  a  given  line  the  given  line  being  for 
  example,  the  axis  of  abscissas,  or  a  radius  of  a  circle 
  produced.  See  {Trigonometrical  function},  under  {Function}. 
 
  {Artificial},  or  {Logarithmic},  {tangent},  the  logarithm  of 
  the  natural  tangent  of  an  arc. 
 
  {Natural  tangent},  a  decimal  expressing  the  length  of  the 
  tangent  of  an  arc,  the  radius  being  reckoned  unity. 
 
  {Tangent  galvanometer}  (Elec.),  a  form  of  galvanometer  having 
  a  circular  coil  and  a  short  needle,  in  which  the  tangent 
  of  the  angle  of  deflection  of  the  needle  is  proportional 
  to  the  strength  of  the  current. 
 
  {Tangent  of  an  angle},  the  natural  tangent  of  the  arc 
  subtending  or  measuring  the  angle. 
 
  {Tangent  of  an  arc},  a  right  line  as  ta  touching  the  arc  of 
  a  circle  at  one  extremity  a,  and  terminated  by  a  line  ct 
  passing  from  the  center  through  the  other  extremity  o. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Tangent  \Tan"gent\,  a.  [L.  tangens,  -entis,  p.  pr.] 
  Touching;  touching  at  a  single  point;  specifically  (Geom.) 
  meeting  a  curve  or  surface  at  a  point  and  having  at  that 
  point  the  same  direction  as  the  curve  or  surface;  --  said  of 
  a  straight  line  curve,  or  surface;  as  a  line  tangent  to  a 
  curve;  a  curve  tangent  to  a  surface;  tangent  surfaces. 
 
  {Tangent  plane}  (Geom.),  a  plane  which  touches  a  surface  in  a 
  point  or  line 
 
  {Tangent  scale}  (Gun.),  a  kind  of  breech  sight  for  a  cannon. 
 
 
  {Tangent  screw}  (Mach.),  an  endless  screw;  a  worm. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  tangent 
  n  1:  a  straight  line  that  touches  but  does  not  intersect  a  curve 
  2:  ratio  of  the  opposite  to  the  adjacent  side 
 
  From  U.S.  Gazetteer  (1990)  [gazetteer]: 
 
  Tangent,  OR  (city,  FIPS  72600) 
  Location:  44.55120  N,  123.10790  W 
  Population  (1990):  556  (207  housing  units) 
  Area:  9.8  sq  km  (land),  0.0  sq  km  (water) 
  Zip  code(s):  97389 

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