control key
A key on a personal computer or terminal keyboard used in combination to modify the function of other keys.
Entries starting with C
768 entries.
control surface
A moveable surface attached to a machine such as an aircraft or submarine that can be used to control the machine's motion in roll, pitch or yaw.
controller
Any electric or mechanical device for controlling a circuit or system.
conventional
adjectiveAgricultural equipment
Making use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides.
conventional memory
The first 640 kilobytes of RAM in an IBM-compatible PC.
converter
nounMetallurgy
A person or thing that converts.
convertible
adjectiveTransport and logistics
Able to change from a closed to an open frame and back again.
convertible husbandry
A method of farming whereby strips of arable farmland are temporarily converted into grass pasture, known as leys.
converting furnace
nounMetallurgy
A furnace in which wrought iron is converted into steel by cementation.
convex lens
A lens having at least one convex surface, such that light passing through it may be brought to a focus.
cook
nounMetalworking
The member of a hot-rivetting team who heats the rivets in a brazier, see rivet.
cop magnet
A vehicle that unusually draws police attention, often due to reckless behavior, flashy appearance, or speeding stereotypes.
cope
nounConstruction
A covering piece on top of a wall exposed to the weather, usually made of metal, masonry, or stone, and sloped to carry off water.
cope and stick
nounConstruction
A frame-and-panel joinery technique used to make doors, wainscoting, etc., involving a molded edge with a cut along the inside of the frame where it is to be joined to the panel. The panel piece that meets the molding at a right angle must be "coped", or given a cope cut, across the end grain of the wood to match the molding's profile.
coprocessor
An additional microprocessor used to supplement the functionality of the central processing unit, performing tasks such as floating-point arithmetic (floating-point unit) or graphics calculations (graphics processing unit).
copyedit
To correct the spelling, grammar, formatting, etc. of printed material and prepare it for typesetting, printing, or online publishing.
CORDIC
Acronym of coordinate rotation digital computer.
core
particular parts of technical instruments or machines essential in function:
core lock
Seizure of a turbine engine due to misalignment and loss of clearance between stationary and rotating components, caused by different components cooling and contracting at different rates following engine shutdown or flameout.
core loss
Energy lost by hysteresis, eddy currents, or other anomalies in the core of an electrical device such as an armature, inductor, transformer, etc.
core print
nounMetalworking
A projecting piece on a pattern which forms, in the mould, an impression for holding in place or steadying a core.
corebox
nounManufacturing
A box in which the core (usually made of sand) for producing the hollow part of a casting, is made.
corf
A large basket, especially as used for coal.
corner
verbAutomotive
To turn a corner or drive around a curve.
cornfield meet
An accidental head-on collision or near head-on collision of two trains.
cornshucker
A machine or machine component that shucks corn.
corona
A luminous appearance caused by corona discharge, often seen as a bluish glow in the air adjacent to pointed metal conductors carrying high voltages.
corona discharge
The ionization of air (or any other fluid) surrounding an electrically energized conductor, as a result of a strong electric field.
coronis
A device, curved stroke, or flourish formed with a pen, coming at the end of a book or chapter; a colophon. For example: ⸎, ۞.
corporal
A worker in charge of the wagonway, reporting to the deputy.
correlator
A type of device used to compare two signals
corrugated lens
A type of lens where concentric portions are cut out from the surface to lessen the weight without affecting the focal power.
corver
A person who makes corves, or coal baskets.
Coslettize
To apply a coating of phosphate to the surface of (iron or steel) to protect from corrosion.
cosmetic second
nounManufacturing
An item produced by a manufacturer and sold wholesale that has a minor blemish and therefore is offered at a lower price.
cosmoline
A substance obtained from the residues of the distillation of petroleum, essentially the same as vaseline, but of somewhat stiffer consistency, and consisting of a mixture of the higher paraffins.
Cossack hat
A warm, brimless hat that is wider at the top than at the headband, and made of either sheepskin or Persian lamb.
costean
A trench in solid rock intersected by pits which reveals mineral veins.
costeaning
A process for discovering metallic lodes by sinking small pits through the superficial deposits to the solid rock, and then driving from one pit to another across the direction of the vein, so as to cross all the veins between the two pits.
cot
A wooden bed frame, slung by its corners from a beam, in which officers slept before the introduction of bunks.
cotillion
A kind of woollen material for women's skirts.
COTS
Acronym of Commercial Orbital Transportation Services, a program for delivery to the International Space Station by private companies.
cotter
A pin or wedge inserted through a slot to hold machine parts together.
cotton
A manufactured product of such a substance:
cotton blend
A fabric made of cotton combined with synthetic or natural fibers, such as linen or polyester.
cotton card
A strip of cotton made using a carding machine.
cotton stripper
A large machine used to pick entire bolls of cotton, ripe or still growing.
cotton wax
A type of cotton woven fabric with paraffin wax or natural beeswax applied to make it water-resistant.
cottonfield
a field in which the cotton plant is grown and harvested.
couch
nounManufacturing
A mass of steeped barley spread upon a floor to germinate, in malting; or the floor occupied by the barley.
couch down
To couch (a thread) onto a fabric (use small stitches to attach it in order to produce a textured effect).
couching
nounManufacturing
The act of one who couches.
couching fabric
nounPaper and pulp
a sheet of fabric used to separate sheets of paper during pressing
Coulomb force
The electrostatic force between two charges, as described by Coulomb's law.
Coulomb's constant
the constant of proportionality in the equation of Coulomb's law; numerical value depends on the units used
Coulomb's law
the fundamental law of electrostatics - the force between two point charges is proportional to the product of their charges, and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them
count
adjectiveMarine and shipyard
Used to show the amount of like items in a package.
countdown
A count backward in fixed units to the time of some event, especially the launch of a space vehicle.
counter batten
nounConstruction
vertical wood strips installed on sloped roofs over which horizontal battens are secured. The primary roof covering is attached or secured to these horizontal battens.
counterfire
A smaller fire lit at some distance from a wildfire, in order to develop a firebreak.