Adjacent Words

Center definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

CENTER, n.
1. A point equally distant from the extremities of a line, figure or body; the middle point or place.
2. The middle or central object. In an army, the body of troops occupying the place in the line between the wings. In a fleet, the division between the van and rear of the line of battle, and between the weather division and lee, in the order of sailing.
3. A single body or house.
These institutions collected all authority into one center, kings, nobles and people.
Center of gravity, in mechanics, the point about which all the parts of a body exactly balance each other.
Center o motion, the point which remains at rest, while all the other parts of a body move round it.
CENTER, v.t.
1. To place on a center; to fix on a central point.
2. To collect to a point.
Thy joys are centered all in me alone.
CENTER, v.i.
1. To be collected to a point.
Our hopes must center on ourselves alone.
2. To be collected to a point; to rest on.
3. To be placed in the middle.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

adj
1: equally distant from the extremes [syn: center, halfway, middle, midway]
2: of or belonging to neither the right nor the left politically or intellectually [ant: left, right] n
1: an area that is approximately central within some larger region; "it is in the center of town"; "they ran forward into the heart of the struggle"; "they were in the eye of the storm" [syn: center, centre, middle, heart, eye]
2: the piece of ground in the outfield directly ahead of the catcher; "he hit the ball to deep center" [syn: center field, centerfield, center]
3: a building dedicated to a particular activity; "they were raising money to build a new center for research" [syn: center, centre]
4: a point equidistant from the ends of a line or the extremities of a figure [syn: center, centre, midpoint]
5: the choicest or most essential or most vital part of some idea or experience; "the gist of the prosecutor's argument"; "the heart and soul of the Republican Party"; "the nub of the story" [syn: kernel, substance, core, center, centre, essence, gist, heart, heart and soul, inwardness, marrow, meat, nub, pith, sum, nitty- gritty]
6: the object upon which interest and attention focuses; "his stories made him the center of the party" [syn: center, centre, center of attention, centre of attention]
7: a cluster of nerve cells governing a specific bodily process; "in most people the speech center is in the left hemisphere" [syn: center, centre, nerve center, nerve centre]
8: the middle of a military or naval formation; "they had to reinforce the center"
9: (basketball) the person who plays center on a basketball team
10: (football) the person who plays center on the line of scrimmage and snaps the ball to the quarterback; "the center fumbled the handoff" [syn: center, snapper]
11: a place where some particular activity is concentrated; "they received messages from several centers" [syn: center, centre]
12: politically moderate persons; centrists
13: (ice hockey) the person who plays center on a hockey team
14: the sweet central portion of a piece of candy that is enclosed in chocolate or some other covering [syn: center, centre]
15: mercantile establishment consisting of a carefully landscaped complex of shops representing leading merchandisers; usually includes restaurants and a convenient parking area; a modern version of the traditional marketplace; "a good plaza should have a movie house"; "they spent their weekends at the local malls" [syn: plaza, mall, center, shopping mall, shopping center, shopping centre]
16: the position on a hockey team of the player who participates in the face off at the beginning of the game
17: (American football) the position of the player on the line of scrimmage who puts the ball in play; "it is a center's responsibility to get the football to the quarterback"
18: a position on a basketball team of the player who participates in the jump that starts the game v
1: center upon; "Her entire attention centered on her children"; "Our day revolved around our work" [syn: focus on, center on, revolve around, revolve about, concentrate on, center]
2: direct one's attention on something; "Please focus on your studies and not on your hobbies" [syn: concentrate, focus, center, centre, pore, rivet]
3: move into the center; "That vase in the picture is not centered" [syn: center, centre]

Merriam Webster's

I. noun Etymology: Middle English centre, from Middle French, from Latin centrum, from Greek kentron sharp point, center of a circle, from kentein to prick; probably akin to Old High German hantag pointed Date: 14th century 1. a. the point around which a circle or sphere is described; broadly a point that is related to a geometrical figure in such a way that for any point on the figure there is another point on the figure such that a straight line joining the two points is bisected by the original point — called also center of symmetry b. the center of the circle inscribed in a regular polygon 2. a. a point, area, person, or thing that is most important or pivotal in relation to an indicated activity, interest, or condition <a railroad center> <the center of the controversy> b. a source from which something originates <a propaganda center> c. a group of nerve cells having a common function <respiratory center> d. a region of concentrated population <an urban center> e. a facility providing a place for a particular activity or service <a day-care center> 3. a. the middle part (as of the forehead or a stage) b. often capitalized (1) a grouping of political figures holding moderate views especially between those of conservatives and liberals (2) the views of such politicians (3) the adherents of such views 4. a. a player occupying a middle position on a team: as (1) the football player in the middle of a line who passes the ball between his legs to a back to start a down (2) the usually tallest player on a basketball team who usually plays near the basket b. center field 5. a. either of two tapered rods which support work in a lathe or grinding machine and about or with which the work revolves b. a conical recess in the end of work (as a shaft) for receiving such a center • centerless adjective II. verb (centered; centering) Date: 1590 transitive verb 1. to place or fix at or around a center or central area or position <center the picture on the wall> 2. to give a central focus or basis <centers her hopes on her son> <the plot was centered on espionage> 3. to adjust (as lenses) so that the axes coincide 4. a. to pass (a ball or puck) from either side toward the middle of the playing area b. to hand or pass (a football) backward between one's legs to a back to start a down 5. to play center on <center a line in hockey> intransitive verb to have a specified center ; focus Usage: The intransitive verb center is most commonly used with the prepositions in, on, at, and around. At appears to be favored in mathematical contexts; the others are found in a broad range of contexts. Center around, a standard idiom, has often been objected to as illogical. The logic on which the objections are based is irrelevant, since center around is an idiom and idioms have their own logic. Center on is currently more common in edited prose, and revolve around and similar verbs are available if you want to avoid center around.

U.S. Military Dictionary

An enduring functional organization, with a supporting staff, designed to perform a joint function within a joint force commander's headquarters. (JP 3-33)

Oxford Reference Dictionary

US var. of CENTRE.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Center Cen"ter, or Centre Cen"tre, seal seal . (Gas Manuf.) A compound hydraulic valve for regulating the passage of the gas through a set of purifiers so as to cut out each one in turn for the renewal of the lime.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Center Center, or Centre Centre, punch punch . (Mech.) (a) A punch for making indentations or dots in a piece of work, as for suspension between lathe centers, etc. (b) A punch for punching holes in sheet metal, having a small conical center to insure correct locating.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Center Cen"ter, Centre Cen"tre v. i. [imp. & p. p. Centered or Centred; p. pr. & vb. n. Centering or Centring.] 1. To be placed in a center; to be central. 2. To be collected to a point; to be concentrated; to rest on, or gather about, as a center. Where there is no visible truth wherein to center, error is as wide as men's fancies. --Dr. H. More. Our hopes must center in ourselves alone. --Dryden.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Center Cen"ter, n. [F. centre, fr. L. centrum, fr. round which a circle is described, fr. ? to prick, goad.] 1. A point equally distant from the extremities of a line, figure, or body, or from all parts of the circumference of a circle; the middle point or place. 2. The middle or central portion of anything. 3. A principal or important point of concentration; the nucleus around which things are gathered or to which they tend; an object of attention, action, or force; as, a center of attaction. 4. The earth. [Obs.] --Shak. 5. Those members of a legislative assembly (as in France) who support the existing government. They sit in the middle of the legislative chamber, opposite the presiding officer, between the conservatives or monarchists, who sit on the right of the speaker, and the radicals or advanced republicans who occupy the seats on his left, See Right, and Left. 6. (Arch.) A temporary structure upon which the materials of a vault or arch are supported in position until the work becomes self-supporting. 7. (Mech.) (a) One of the two conical steel pins, in a lathe, etc., upon which the work is held, and about which it revolves. (b) A conical recess, or indentation, in the end of a shaft or other work, to receive the point of a center, on which the work can turn, as in a lathe. Note: In a lathe the live center is in the spindle of the head stock; the dead center is on the tail stock. Planer centers are stocks carrying centers, when the object to be planed must be turned on its axis. Center of an army, the body or troops occupying the place in the line between the wings. Center of a curve or surface (Geom.) (a) A point such that every line drawn through the point and terminated by the curve or surface is bisected at the point. (b) The fixed point of reference in polar co["o]rdinates. See Co["o]rdinates. Center of curvature of a curve (Geom.), the center of that circle which has at any given point of the curve closer contact with the curve than has any other circle whatever. See Circle. Center of a fleet, the division or column between the van and rear, or between the weather division and the lee. Center of gravity (Mech.), that point of a body about which all its parts can be balanced, or which being supported, the whole body will remain at rest, though acted upon by gravity. Center of gyration (Mech.), that point in a rotating body at which the whole mass might be concentrated (theoretically) without altering the resistance of the intertia of the body to angular acceleration or retardation. Center of inertia (Mech.), the center of gravity of a body or system of bodies. Center of motion, the point which remains at rest, while all the other parts of a body move round it. Center of oscillation, the point at which, if the whole matter of a suspended body were collected, the time of oscillation would be the same as it is in the actual form and state of the body. Center of percussion, that point in a body moving about a fixed axis at which it may strike an obstacle without communicating a shock to the axis. Center of pressure (Hydros.), that point in a surface pressed by a fluid, at which, if a force equal to the whole pressure and in the same line be applied in a contrary direction, it will balance or counteract the whole pressure of the fluid.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Center Cen"ter, Centre Cen"tre, v. t. 1. To place or fix in the center or on a central point. --Milton. 2. To collect to a point; to concentrate. Thy joys are centered all in me alone. --Prior. 3. (Mech.) To form a recess or indentation for the reception of a center.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

see centre

Moby Thesaurus

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