compound balloon
A variation of the hot-air balloon that is lifted by two separate balloons of different types, usually suspended one over the other.
Entries starting with C
768 entries.
compound curve
nounMetalworking
A three-dimensional shape into which a thin flat sheet of material, e.g. metal, can be formed by operations that must include stretching or compression, in addition to bending.
compression
nounAutomotive
The cycle of an internal combustion engine during which the fuel and air mixture is compressed.
compression ratio
nounAutomotive
The ratio of the volume between the cylinder head of an internal combustion engine and the piston before and after the compression stroke.
compression sock
An elasticated sock worn to help prevent the occurrence of venous disorders such as edema, phlebitis, and thrombosis.
compressor
A device that reduces the dynamic range of an audio signal.
computational fluid dynamics
The study of computational algorithms to solve mathematical problems in the field of fluid dynamics.
computer architecture
The conceptual structure around which a given computer is designed.
computer chip
An integrated circuit, typically installed in a personal computer or other electronic devices.
computer-controlled timing
Any type of timing in a vehicle, machine, or other experiment aided by an internal timer.
concave
nounManufacturing
An element of a curved grid used to separate desirable material from tailings or chaff in mining and harvesting.
concavo-convex
adjectiveOptics and imaging
Having one side concave and the other convex.
concentrator
An apparatus for the separation of dry comminuted ore, by exposing it to intermittent puffs of air.
concept car
nounAutomotive
An automobile which is not available for retail sale and which is usually only a mock-up having limited functionality, but which may be displayed at auto shows to represent design ideas under consideration for future vehicles.
conciator
The person who prepares the materials to be made into glass, and/or works and tempers them.
concrete masonry unit
nounConstruction
A rectangular concrete block of a standard size used in construction.
concretion
A rounded mass of a mineral, sometimes found in sedimentary rock or on the ocean floor.
concurrency
A stretch of road that is shared between two or more numbered or named routes.
condenser
A lens (or combination of lenses) designed to gather light and focus it onto a specimen or part of a mechanism.
conditioning time
The total amount of time required for a sample to attain equilibrium at the specified condition.
conducted interference
Interference resulting from noise or unwanted signals entering a device by conductive coupling, i.e., by direct coupling.
conformal optics
A method of designing optical systems in which the conformation of the lenses is chosen to optimize its interaction with the local environment
congest
A farmer whose lands do not support him adequately.
conjugate redox pair
An electron donor and its corresponding electron acceptor form.
connect time
The amount of time that a circuit is in use, usually in a circuit-switched environment.
connect up
To join to a network or supply.
connection
A transfer from one transportation vehicle to another in scheduled transportation service.
connectivity
The ability to make a connection between two or more points in a network.
connector
A device (or, more precisely, a mating pair of devices, often a plug and a socket) for connecting together two wires, cables, or hoses, allowing electricity or fluid to flow but also allowing easy disconnection and reconnection when necessary.
conoscopic
adjectiveOptics and imaging
Relating to, or produced by conoscopy
conrod
nounAutomotive
Abbreviation of connecting rod.
conservative
adjectiveManufacturing
Conventional, traditional, and moderate in style and appearance; not extreme, excessive, faddish, or intense.
consist
nounRail equipment
A lineup or sequence of railroad carriages or cars, with or without a locomotive, that form a unit.
console
nounAutomotive
A storage tray or container mounted between the seats of an automobile.
consolidator
a business which groups different orders into one shipment.
constellation
A fleet of satellites used for the same purpose.
constringence
A measure of a material's dispersion (variation of refractive index with wavelength) in relation to the refractive index.
construction unit
A combination of items that is used as the basis for computing costs and materials needs. A complete construction can consist of multiple construction units, each of which is a copy of the others.
constructive interference
When two or more waves overlap, and their crests or troughs align, adding together to create a single, larger wave with a greater amplitude (intensity and height) than the original waves.
contact
The plane between two adjacent bodies of dissimilar rock.
contact shoe
nounRail equipment
A current collector on an electric train which is in contact with the live rail.
contact wire
A bare wire conducting electricity, often the lower part of the catenary, which comes into contact with a raised pantograph or other form of current collector.
contactor
A relay used to control an electrical power circuit
container
A very large, typically metal, box used for transporting goods.
container flat
nounRail equipment
a flat wagon designed to carry international shipping containers.
container plant
A plant that grows in a pot or other container, instead of in the ground.
container port
A port which specialises in handling the loading and unloading of shipping containers onto and from container ships.
container wagon
nounRail equipment
a flat wagon designed to carry international shipping containers.
containment line
A linear area which has been cleared of inflammable material in order to prevent a fire from spreading across it.
contention
Competition by parts of a system or its users for a limited resource.
continuous variable valve timing
A system allowing for the perpetual adjustment of valve timing in an engine in order to optimize it for all engine speeds and conditions.
continuously variable transmission
nounAutomotive
Any of several forms of automatic transmission, without specific gears, in which the gear ratio may be changed without any noticeable steps.
continuum mechanics
A branch of mechanics that deals with the deformation of and transmission of forces through materials modeled as a continuous medium rather than as discrete particles.
contone
adjectiveIndustrial printing
Having a continuous range of tones from white to black, rather than an approximation such as stippling.
contractee
nounConstruction
The party to a construction contract who is not the contractor; frequently the owner.
contraplex
adjectiveElectrical engineering
Of message signals, passing in opposite directions at the same time.
control arm
nounAutomotive
A nearly flat and roughly triangular suspension member that pivots in two places.
control bus
A part of the system bus that is used by CPUs for communicating with other devices within the computer.
control car
A non-powered railroad car, equipped with a driver's cabin, front lights and other equipment required for a locomotive, allowing a train to be controlled from the rear end without turning a locomotive at the end of the line.
control joint
A groove which is formed, sawn, or tooled in a concrete or masonry structure to regulate the location and amount of cracking and separation resulting from the dimensional change of different parts of the structure, thereby avoiding the development of high stresses.