asphaltane
polyaromatic compounds left from distillation of crude oil that are insoluble in pentane.
Entries starting with A
381 entries.
assembly line
A system of workers and machinery in which a product is assembled in a series of consecutive operations; typically the product is conveyed by a continuously moving belt.
assert
To set a signal on a line using a voltage or electric current.
assholed
Rear-ended by another vehicle on the road.
astable
adjectiveIndustrial electronics
Having multiple states, none of which is stable.
astigmatism
A defect of a lens such that light rays coming from a point do not meet at a focal point so that the image is blurred.
astonisher
An exclamation mark, the punctuation mark “!”.
astrionics
The science dealing with the application of electronics to astronautics.
astrobot
Robot designed to work in space.
asymmetric digital subscriber line
A communications system characterised by moderately high speeds, different in each direction.
ATF
nounAutomotive
Initialism of automatic transmission fluid.
Atlantic
nounRail equipment
A steam locomotive of the 4-4-2 wheel arrangement.
Atlas
An SM-65, an early ICBM, soon developed into a long-lived orbital launch vehicle series.
ATM
Initialism of asynchronous transfer mode.
ATO
Acronym of assisted take-off.
ATOC
nameRail equipment
Acronym of Association of Train Operating Companies
atomic gardening
The exposure of plants to radioactive sources, typically cobalt-60, in order to generate mutations that may prove to have useful properties.
ATP
The Agreement on the International Carriage of Perishable Foodstuffs and on the Special Equipment to be used for such Carriage (ATP).
attack time
The time between the instant that a signal at the input of a device or circuit exceeds the activation threshold of the device or circuit and the instant that the device or circuit reacts in a specified manner, or to a specified degree, to the input.
attenuate
verbManufacturing
Of a beer, to become less dense as a result of the conversion of sugar to alcohol.
attenuation
nounManufacturing
The proportion of sugar that is converted to ethanol by a yeast.
attenuative
adjectiveManufacturing
Of a yeast, capable of high attenuation, able to convert a high proportion of sugar to alcohol.
attenuator
Ellipsis of impact attenuator or crash attenuator.
attire
nounManufacturing
One's dress; what one wears; one's clothes.
attle
Rubbish or refuse consisting of broken rock inholding little or no ore; especially, the worthless rock left over once the ore has been selected.
attoampere
An SI unit of electric current equal to 10⁻¹⁸ amperes. Symbol: aA
attogram
An SI unit of mass equal to 10⁻¹⁸ grams. Symbol: ag
attohertz
An SI unit of frequency equal to 10⁻¹⁸ hertz.
attojoule
An SI unit of energy, work, and heat equal to 10⁻¹⁸ joules. Symbol: aJ
attokatal
An SI unit of catalytic activity equal to 10⁻¹⁸ katals. Symbol: a
attolitre
An SI unit of fluid measure equal to 10⁻¹⁸ litres; alternative spelling of attoliter.
attometre
An SI unit of length equal to 10⁻¹⁸ metres. Symbol: am
attoparsec
A unit of measure of 10⁻¹⁸ parsecs, or about 3.085 centimetres (1.215 inches).
attosecond
An SI unit of time equal to 10⁻¹⁸ seconds. Symbol: as
attowatt
An SI unit of power equal to 10⁻¹⁸ watts. Symbol: aW
auget
A priming tube connecting the charge chamber with the gallery, or place where the slow match is applied.
auricula
An ornamental primrose (Primula auricula)
Austenite
nounMetallurgy
Alternative letter-case form of austenite.
auto
adjectiveAutomotive
Clipping of automatic (of a gearbox/transmission).
auto show
nounAutomotive
A typically annual or semiannual public event for exhibition of new automobiles and new automobile designs.
autoballaster
nounRail equipment
A type of ballast wagon, used to carry new ballast and then spread it along a section of railway track.
autobus
A motorbus, as opposed to earlier horse-drawn buses.
autocide
Control of a pest through propagation of sterile males.
autocoach
nounRail equipment
An unpowered railway coach with a driving cab at one end, used in a push-pull train in conjunction with a locomotive or other powered vehicle.
autocorrelator
A device that modifies a signal with a delayed copy of itself in order to detect any periodic signal hidden in the noise
autocryst
A crystal formed from the same melt as the volcanic rock which hosts it.
autoextension
The spread of a fire from one floor of a building to another by means of the windows.
autofocus
A feature of some cameras and other optical systems that allows a correct focus on the subject to be obtained automatically
autogain
automatic amplification of a signal
automated manual transmission
nounAutomotive
A type of single-clutch automatic transmission that is closely based on the internal design and mechanical build and of a conventional manual transmission; but is computer-controlled, and does require any manual input from the driver to change gear or actuate the clutch.
automatic distance control
nounAutomotive
Technologies that use radar, infrared and image processing to allow for a decentralized recording of the environment around a vehicle.
automatic half-barrier level crossing
nounRail equipment
A level crossing with a single barrier on each side of the railway line, the barriers when lowered only block half of the road.
automatic leveling system
nounAutomotive
A suspension system that automatically adjusts front and rear ride heights to compensate for changes in axle load.
automatic train control
nounRail equipment
A train protection system that involves a speed control mechanism in response to external inputs. For example, a system could effect an emergency brake application if the driver does not react to a signal at danger.
automatic transmission
A vehicle transmission which shifts gears automatically in response to vehicle speed and/or load, and does not require any driver input to manually change gears under normal driving conditions; an automatic gearbox.
automobile graveyard
An establishment which is maintained or used for storing, keeping, buying, or selling wrecked, scrapped, ruined, or dismantled motor vehicles or motor vehicle parts.
autonomation
nounManufacturing
An automation design concept developed at Toyota, using error-proofing and automatic process defect detection to ease human participation in demanding just-in-time manufacturing.
autonomy
The capacity of a system to make a decision about its actions without the involvement of another system or operator.
autorouter
A computer program that canautomatically route tracks on a circuit board.
autosyn
A type of synchro, used as part of a system to reproduce angular rotation.