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expansion

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expansion

 

  2  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Expansion  \Ex*pan"sion\,  n.  [L.  expansio:  cf  F.  expansion.] 
  1.  The  act  of  expanding  or  spreading  out  the  condition  of 
  being  expanded;  dilation;  enlargement. 
 
  2.  That  which  is  expanded;  expanse;  extend  surface;  as  the 
  expansion  of  a  sheet  or  of  a  lake;  the  expansion  was 
  formed  of  metal. 
 
  The  starred  expansion  of  the  skies.  --Beattie. 
 
  3.  Space  through  which  anything  is  expanded;  also  pure 
  space. 
 
  Lost  in  expansion,  void  and  infinite.  --Blackmore. 
 
  4.  (Com.)  Enlargement  or  extension  of  business  transactions; 
  esp.,  increase  of  the  circulation  of  bank  notes. 
 
  5.  (Math.)  The  developed  result  of  an  indicated  operation; 
  as  the  expansion  of  (a  +  b)^{2}  is  a^{2}  +  2ab  +  b^{2}. 
 
  6.  (Steam  Engine)  The  operation  of  steam  in  a  cylinder  after 
  its  communication  with  the  boiler  has  been  cut  off  by 
  which  it  continues  to  exert  pressure  upon  the  moving 
  piston. 
 
  7.  (Nav.  Arch.)  The  enlargement  of  the  ship  mathematically 
  from  a  model  or  drawing  to  the  full  or  building  size,  in 
  the  process  of  construction.  --Ham.  Nav.  Encyc. 
 
  Note:  Expansion  is  also  used  adjectively,  as  in  expansion 
  joint,  expansion  gear,  etc 
 
  {Expansion  curve},  a  curve  the  co["o]rdinates  of  which  show 
  the  relation  between  the  pressure  and  volume  of  expanding 
  gas  or  vapor;  esp.  (Steam  engine),  that  part  of  an 
  indicator  diagram  which  shows  the  declining  pressure  of 
  the  steam  as  it  expands  in  the  cylinder. 
 
  {Expansion  gear}  (Steam  Engine).  a  cut-off  gear.  See  Illust. 
  of  {Link  motion}. 
 
  {Automatic  expansion  gear}  or  {cut-off},  one  that  is 
  regulated  by  the  governor,  and  varies  the  supply  of  steam 
  to  the  engine  with  the  demand  for  power. 
 
  {Fixed  expansion  gear},  or  {Fixed  cut-off},  one  that  always 
  operates  at  the  same  fixed  point  of  the  stroke. 
 
  {Expansion  joint},  or  {Expansion  coupling}  (Mech.  &  Engin.), 
  a  yielding  joint  or  coupling  for  so  uniting  parts  of  a 
  machine  or  structure  that  expansion,  as  by  heat,  is 
  prevented  from  causing  injurious  strains;  as  by  heat,  is 
  prevented  from  causing  injurious  strains;  as: 
  a  A  side  or  set  of  rollers,  at  the  end  of  bridge  truss, 
  to  support  it  but  allow  end  play. 
  b  A  telescopic  joint  in  a  steam  pipe,  to  permit  one  part 
  of  the  pipe  to  slide  within  the  other 
  c  A  clamp  for  holding  a  locomotive  frame  to  the  boiler 
  while  allowing  lengthwise  motion. 
 
  {Expansion  valve}  (Steam  Engine),  a  cut-off  valve,  to  shut 
  off  steam  from  the  cylinder  before  the  end  of  each  stroke. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  expansion 
  n  1:  the  act  of  increasing  in  size  or  volume  or  quantity  or  scope 
  [syn:  {enlargement}] 
  2:  an  interpretation  that  provides  additional  information  [syn: 
  {enlargement}] 
  3:  adding  information  or  detail  [syn:  {expanding  upon}]




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