Lexic.us

Definition of Mechanism

1. Noun. The atomic process that occurs during a chemical reaction. "He determined unique mechanisms for the photochemical reactions"

2. Noun. The technical aspects of doing something. "The mechanics of prose style"

3. Noun. A natural object resembling a machine in structure or function. "The mechanism of infection"

4. Noun. (philosophy) the philosophical theory that all phenomena can be explained in terms of physical or biological causes.

5. Noun. Device consisting of a piece of machinery; has moving parts that perform some function.

Definition of Mechanism

1. n. The arrangement or relation of the parts of a machine; the parts of a machine, taken collectively; the arrangement or relation of the parts of anything as adapted to produce an effect; as, the mechanism of a watch; the mechanism of a sewing machine; the mechanism of a seed pod.

Definition of Mechanism

1. Noun. Within a machine or machinery; any mechanical means for the conversion or control of motion, or the transmission or control of power ¹

2. Noun. Any combination of cams, gears, links, belts, chains and logical mechanical elements ¹

3. Noun. A group of objects or parts that interact together. (as in ''Political machine'') ¹

4. Noun. A mental, physical(,) or chemical process. ¹

5. Noun. (philosophy) A theory that all natural phenomena can be explained by physical causes. ¹

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Definition of Mechanism

1. [n -S]

Medical Definition of Mechanism

1. The manner of combination of parts, processes, etc., which subserve a common function. Origin: Gr. Mechan = machine This entry appears with permission from the Dictionary of Cell and Molecular Biology (11 Mar 2008)

Lexicographical Neighbors of Mechanism

mechanicalness mechanicals mechanician mechanicians mechanick mechanicks mechanico-chemical mechanicochemical mechanicoreceptor mechanics

mechanisation mechanise mechanised mechanises mechanising mechanism (current term) mechanism-based inhibitor mechanisms mechanist mechanistic

mechanistic school mechanistically mechanists mechanizability mechanizable mechanization mechanizations mechanize mechanized mechanized cavalry

Literary usage of Mechanism

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

1. The Encyclopaedia Britannica: A Dictionary of Arts, Sciences, Literature and (1911)
"The whole of the mechanism then rotates around the hinge pin and leaves the ... In the latest modification cf this mechanism a roller at the end of the ..."

2. United States Supreme Court Reports by Lawyers Co-operative Publishing Company, United States Supreme Court (1890)
"In a time-lock, the combination with the time mechanism and the locking or dogging mechanism, of an adjustable device which, through the continuous ..."

3. Science by American Association for the Advancement of Science (1904)
"TRANSCENDENTAL VITALISM AND mechanism. The first question is: Suppose there will come a time when all laws of the inorganic world and also all structures ..."

4. The Life of Reason; Or, The Phases of Human Progress by George Santayana (1906)
"When Descartes, after twenty centuries of verbal physics, reintro- duced mechanism into philosophy, he made a striking modification in its claims. ..."

5. Journal of the American Chemical Society by American Chemical Society (1879)
"This indicates that an Elcb mechanism with rapid reversion to starting ... The mechanism of formation of olefin II from hydroxide I illustrates very ..."

6. The Harvey Lectures by Harvey Society of New York, New York Academy of Medicine (1917)
"ON THE NERVOUS CONTROL OF THE HUNGER mechanism * PROF. ... Gastric hunger mechanism during sleep. 3. Effect of cerebral states (emotional states, ..."

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