acquisition feeding time
The amount of time required for a successful acquisition of a virus by its vector for subsequent transmission, in which it then becomes viruliferous.
Entries starting with A
381 entries.
acquisition time
The amount of time required for a GPS receiver to acquire a satellite signal in order to determine the initial position.
ACR
Initialism of automatic circuit recloser.
acre-foot
A unit of measure, used for volumes of water, equal to one acre times one foot (that is, to the amount of water required to cover one acre of land to a depth of one foot), which is 43,560 cubic feet, 325,851 gallons, or about 1,233 cubic meters.
ACRR
adjacent-channel rejection ratio; the resulting measurement of comparing signal strength with a similar signal on another frequency if they are on adjacent channels.
ACS
Initialism of adjacent channel selectivity.
activator
An agent that enables the flotation of a mineral or minerals.
active
Any component that is not passive. See Passivity (engineering).
active braking time
nounAutomotive
The amount of time elapsed between the moment when the braking force takes effect and the point in time at which it ceases.
actuator
A relay that controls the flow of electricity.
adaptive optics
An optical system in telescopes that reduces atmospheric distortion by dynamically measuring and correcting wavefront aberrations in real time, often by using a deformable mirror.
adaptometry
The measurement of threshold of brightness by means of an adaptometer
ADAS
nounAutomotive
Acronym of advanced driver-assistance system.
ADC
Initialism of analog-to-digital converter.
adder-subtractor
A circuit that is capable of adding or subtracting binary numbers.
address bus
A bus that is used to specify a physical address.
address message
a message sent in the forward direction that contains (a) address information, (b) the signaling information required to route and connect a call to the called line, (c) service-class information, (d) information relating to user and network facilities, and (e) call-originator identity or call-receiver identity.
adequately wet
adjectiveConstruction
Of asbestos: made wet for safety reasons, in order to prevent the escape of harmful particles, for example during demolition.
Ader receiver
A kind of telephone receiver incorporating a magnetized metal ring.
adit
A horizontal or nearly horizontal passage from the surface into a mine, as contrasted with a shaft or vertical entry passage, used for ventilation, haulage, drainage, or other purposes.
adjunct
nounManufacturing
An unmalted grain or grain product that supplements the main mash ingredient.
adjunctive
nounManufacturing
A substance added as a supplement; often in the phrase "additives and adjunctives.".
adjuvant
An additive (often a separate product) that enhances the efficacy of a pesticide, but has little or no pesticidal effect itself.
ADL
Initialism of acquisition and distribution layer, the stay-dry layer of a diaper or menstrual pad that wicks liquid, particularly urine or menses, from the topsheet to the innermost absorbent core.
ADPLL
Initialism of all-digital phase locked loop.
ADR
The Agreement of 30 September 1957 concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road; formerly the European Agreement concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road.
ADSL
Initialism of asymmetric digital subscriber line.
advance angle
In helicopters, the mechanically fixed angle between the main rotor blades' pitch control horns and the swashplate when the blades are not leading or lagging.
advanced time
The time when the field will advance from the present time t.
AEB
nounAutomotive
Initialism of automatic emergency braking or autonomous emergency braking, a technology/methodology used in cars to prevent crashes by activating the brakes.
aerial
adjectiveAviation maintenance
Pertaining to a vehicle which travels through the air; airborne; relating to or conducted by means of aircraft.
aerial ladder
A mechanically-extendable ladder mounted to a fire engine.
aerobatics
The practice of flying maneuvers involving aircraft attitudes that are not used in conventional passenger-carrying flights.
aerobraking
The use of atmospheric drag to reduce the velocity of a spacecraft, especially so as to establish a stable orbit and to reduce fuel consumption.
aerocapture
A form of aerobraking in which a spacecraft uses atmospheric drag to decelerate from a hyperbolic trajectory into a closed orbit, eliminating the need for a large orbital-insertion burn and requiring only small correction burns to raise the spacecraft's periapsis out of the atmosphere.
affordance
nounRobotics
Anything that is provided or furnished by an environment to an organism dwelling within it.
aflaj
An irrigation system which catches mountain water and controls its movement down man-made subterranean channels, found in Oman.
afocal
adjectiveOptics and imaging
Neither concave or convex (focal point at infinity)
aft
adverbMarine and shipyard
At, near, or towards the stern of a vessel (with the frame of reference within the vessel).
after-five
Any attire or clothing that is semiformal.
afterdamp
Suffocating gases present in a coal mine after an explosion caused by firedamp, consisting of carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, nitrogen, and sometimes hydrogen sulfide.
aftermath
A second mowing; the grass which grows after the first crop of hay in the same season.
ag
nounConstruction
Clipping of aggregate (“small rocks mixed into concrete”).
against the grain
prep phraseWoodworking
Preventing a smooth, level surface from being formed by raising the nap of the wood or causing larger splinters to form ahead of the cutting tool below the cutting surface.
agate
The size of type between pearl and nonpareil, standardized as 5+¹⁄₂-point.
agateware
Pottery decorated with a combination of contrastingly coloured clays, designed to resemble the layers of colour in an agate stone.
aged R-value
nounConstruction
thermal resistance value established by using artificial conditioning procedures for a prescribed period of time.
aggregate
nounConstruction
Crushed stone, crushed slag or water-worn gravel used for surfacing a built-up roof system.
agribulk
Unpackaged agricultural commodities transported in large quantities, such as grains, oilseeds, sugar, and fertilizers, typically handled via bulk carriers, barges, or silos.
agricultural holder
An agriculturist who holds or owns a farm.
Aida cloth
An open-weave, even-weave fabric with a natural mesh, traditionally used for cross-stitch embroidery.
air admittance vent
nounPlumbing
a mechanical sewer vent that allows air to enter into the sewage system but does not allow exhaust of sewer gases, to aid the flow of sewage by providing air behind water, where a standard vent stack to atmosphere is not possible, by drawing in interior air but keeping harmful sewer gases contained.
air cell
A prechamber in an indirect injection internal combustion engine.
air corridor
A predefined route, or series of routes, in which a commercial or military aircraft must fly.
air drain
nounConstruction
An ample space left at the foot of foundation walls for the sake of dryness.
air hammer
nounConstruction
A hammer powered by compressed air.
air hose
A hose for conveying compressed air within a pneumatic system.
air hostess
A female flight attendant; a stewardess.
air line
nounRail equipment
A railroad following a very flat, straight route between two endpoints in order to minimize travel times, choosing the shortest, most direct route practical even if longer route that was more advantageous was available.
air ride
The smooth ride in a vehicle resulting from an active pneumatic suspension system, instead of springs or a hydraulic system.