gyrationn.
/dʒʌɪəˈreɪʃən/ 1.
a. The action or process of gyrating; motion in a circle or spiral; revolution round a fixed centre or axis, turning round, wheeling or whirling; an instance of any of these.
ΘΚΠ
the world > movement > motion in specific manner > revolution or rotation > [noun]
swayc1374
turning1390
overwhelming?a1439
circumvolution1447
winding1530
conversion1541
rotationa1550
revolution1566
gyring?1578
revolve1598
circulation1605
gyration1615
evolution1654
sweep1679
gyrating1837
revolving1867
1615 H. Crooke Μικροκοσμογραϕια 457 If there had not beene these gyrations in the substance of the braine.
1646 Sir T. Browne Pseudodoxia Epidemica ii. iv. 80 The ayre impelled returnes unto its place in a gyration or whirling. View more context for this quotation
1661 J. Glanvill Vanity of Dogmatizing ix. 81 A French Top, throwne from a cord which was wound about it, will stand as it were fixt..and yet continue in its repeated Gyrations.
1704 I. Newton Opticks i. ii. 104 If a burning Coal be nimbly moved round in a Circle with Gyrations continually repeated.
1768 A. Tucker Light of Nature Pursued II. iii. 102 They might then make one giration in a long ellipsis.
1794 G. Atwood in Philos. Trans. (Royal Soc.) 84 127 (note) To place the centre of gyration nearly at the same distance from the axis.
1816 W. Kirby & W. Spence Introd. Entomol. (1843) II. 240 It performs its gyrations alternately from left to right and from right to left.
1834 M. Somerville On Connexion Physical Sci. (1849) xv. 140 In the northern hemisphere the gyration [of the wind] is contrary to the movement of the hands of a watch.
1834 M. Somerville On Connexion Physical Sci. (1849) xv. 141 Beyond the actual circle of gyration or limits of the storm.
1860 M. F. Maury Physical Geogr. Sea (ed. 8) xix. §796 In the gyrations of the storm.
1872 Daily News 25 Mar. Snowflakes that danced in eccentric fantastic gyrations.
1882 G. M. Minchin Uniplanar Kinematics 110 M = mass of the whole body and k its radius of gyration about GH.
1897 ‘Ouida’ Massarenes xi Women were nevertheless enchanted to be embraced by him in its [the waltz's] giddy gyrations.
b. with reference to immaterial things or figurative.
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1807 J. Barlow Columbiad ix. 337 The vast gyration of a thousand years.
1847 B. Disraeli Tancred I. ii. xiv. 291 His life was a gyration of energetic curiosity.
1852 H. Rogers Eclipse of Faith 36 Such,..is the appearance of George Fellowes in that rapid gyration to which he has been subjected.
1868 E. Edwards Life Sir W. Ralegh I. ix. 146 His present effort was still more impeded by endless gyrations of irresolution.
1883 S. Waddington A. H. Clough 83 The vortex of religious excitement..kept him idly moving in its ceaseless gyrations.
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2. concrete in Conchology. One of the whorls of a spiral univalve shell.
Derivatives
gyˈrational adj. characterized by gyration.
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1889 in Cent. Dict. (citing R. A. Proctor).
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1900; most recently modified version published online December 2020).
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