Lexic.us

Definition of Eccentric

1. Adjective. Conspicuously or grossly unconventional or unusual. "Outre and affected stage antics"

2. Noun. A person with an unusual or odd personality.

3. Adjective. Not having a common center; not concentric. "Eccentric circles"

4. Noun. A person of a specified kind (usually with many eccentricities). "A mental case"

Definition of Eccentric

1. a. Deviating or departing from the center, or from the line of a circle; as, an eccentric or elliptical orbit; pertaining to deviation from the center or from true circular motion.

2. n. A circle not having the same center as another contained in some measure within the first.

Definition of Eccentric

1. Adjective. not at or in the centre. ¹

2. Adjective. not perfectly circular. ¹

3. Adjective. having a different center. ¹

4. Adjective. (context: of a person) deviating from the norm; behaving unexpectedly or differently. ¹

5. Adjective. (physiology) (context: of a motion) against or in the opposite direction of contraction of a muscle. (''E.g.'' flexion of the lower arm (bending of the elbow joint) by an external force while contracting the triceps and other elbow extensor muscles to control that movement; opening of the jaw while flexing the masseter). ¹

6. Noun. One who does not behave like others. ¹

7. Noun. A disk or wheel with its axis off centre, giving a reciprocating motion. ¹

8. Noun. (slang) A kook. ¹

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Definition of Eccentric

1. [n -S]

Medical Definition of Eccentric

1. 1. Deviating or departing from the center, or from the line of a circle; as, an eccentric or elliptical orbit; pertaining to deviation from the center or from true circular motion. 2. Not having the same center; said of circles, ellipses, spheres, etc, which, though coinciding, either in whole or in part, as to area or volume, have not the same center; opposed to concentric. 3. Pertaining to an eccentric; as, the eccentric rod in a steam engine. 4. Not coincident as to motive or end. "His own ends, which must needs be often eccentric to those of his master." (Bacon) 5. Deviating from stated methods, usual practice, or established forms or laws; deviating from an appointed sphere or way; departing from the usual course; irregular; anomalous; odd; as, eccentric conduct. "This brave and eccentric young man." "He shines eccentric, like a comet's blaze." (Savage) Eccentric anomaly. The whole apparatus, strap, and other parts, by which the motion of an eccentric is transmitted, as in the steam engine. A cogwheel set to turn about an eccentric axis used to give variable rotation. Eccentric hook or gab, a hook-shaped journal box on the end of an eccentric rod, opposite the strap. Eccentric rod, the rod that connects as eccentric strap with any part to be acted upon by the eccentric. Eccentric sheave, or Eccentric pulley, an eccentric. Eccentric strap, the ring, operating as a journal box, that encircles and receives motion from an eccentric; called also eccentric hoop. Synonym: Irregular, anomalous, singular, odd, peculiar, erratic, idiosyncratic, strange, whimsical. Origin: F. Excentrique, formerly also spelled eccentrique, fr. LL. Eccentros out of the center, eccentric, Gr.; out of + center. See Ex-, and Center, and cf. Excentral. 1. A circle not having the same center as another contained in some measure within the first. 2. One who, or that which, deviates from regularity; an anomalous or irregular person or thing. 3. In the Ptolemaic system, the supposed circular orbit of a planet about the earth, but with the earth not in its center. A circle described about the center of an elliptical orbit, with half the major axis for radius. 4. A disk or wheel so arranged upon a shaft that the center of the wheel and that of the shaft do not coincide. It is used for operating valves in steam engines, and for other purposes. The motion derived is precisely that of a crank having the same throw. Back eccentric, the eccentric that reverses or backs the valve gear and the engine. Fore eccentric, the eccentric that imparts a forward motion to the valve gear and the engine. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998)

Lexicographical Neighbors of Eccentric

ecaudate ecballium ecbasis ecbatic ecboles ecbolic ecbolics ecboline eccaleobion eccaleobions

ecce ecce homo ecce homos eccenteric eccentric eccentric amputation eccentric contraction eccentric contractions eccentric fixation eccentric hypertrophy

eccentric implantation eccentric occlusion eccentric person eccentric position eccentric relation eccentrical eccentrically eccentricate eccentricities

Literary usage of Eccentric

Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:

1. The Mechanical Engineer's Pocket-book: A Reference Book of Rules, Tables by William Kent (1902)
"When the distance between centres of eccentric pins = U to 8 times throw of ... Length of sliding-block = 2.5 to SX D. Diameter of eccentric-rod pins = 0.8 ..."

2. The Principles and Practice of Surveying by Charles Blaney Breed, George Leonard Hosmer (1908)
"Eccentric TELESCOPES. — Fig. 132 shows a mining transit in which the auxiliary telescope is attached to an end extension of the horizontal axis. ..."

3. A Treatise on the Steam Engine in Its Application to Mines, Mills, Steam by Artizan club (London, England) (1851)
"Eccentrics and Eccentric Rod.—The eccentrics are made of cast-iron ; and when ... The eccentric, when in two pieces, is retained at its proper angle on the ..."

4. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London by Royal Society (Great Britain) (1863)
"The following communication was read :— M "An Account of some Experiments with Eccentric Oblate Bodies and Disks as Projectiles. ..."

5. The Mechanical Engineering of Power Plants by Frederick Remsen Hutton (1897)
"Reversing-gears with One Eccentric.—It will be apparent from discussions in parts of Chapters VII and VIII, which have treated of the setting of valves, ..."

6. Steam-engine Principles and Practice by Terrell William Croft (1922)
"Place the templet on the eccentric hub (if hub is not machined, use the templet directly on the shaft) as shown dotted in Fig. 152 and slide it around the ..."

Other Resources: