inclined planen.
/ɪnˌklʌɪnd ˈpleɪn/, /ɪŋˌklʌɪnd ˈpleɪn/, U.S. /ᵻnˌklaɪnd ˈpleɪn/, /ɪŋˌklaɪnd ˈpleɪn/ 1. A plane inclined at an acute angle to the horizontal. In mechanics, the inclined plane is considered to be one of the six mechanical powers.
ΚΠ
1661 T. Salusbury tr. Galileo Syst. World in Math. Coll. & Transl. I. 18 That descend, the one by the inclined plane [It. piano inclinato], the other by the said perpendicular.
1723 J. Clarke tr. Rohault's Syst. Nat. Philos. I. i. xiv. 87 The Force and the Weight will then support one another upon an inclined Plain.
1806 O. G. Gregory Treat. Mech. II. 29 In the inclined plane the friction varies according as the body rolls or slides.
1916 Rudder Oct. 460/2 Thus you see that when an inclined plane is wrapped around a cylinder it forms a helix.
1990 Sciences Nov. 15/2 It was the concept of acceleration and its measurement on an inclined plane that..marked the beginning of modern science.
2002 M. Vable Mech. of Materials viii. 514 Establish a local n,t,z coordinate system using the outward normal of the inclined plane as the n direction.
2. A mechanical system used to move heavy loads up or down an incline; spec. (a) one used for moving boats between canals at different elevations, in which a caisson is raised or lowered along rails by means of a cable attached to one or more counterweights; (b) a funicular railway.
ΚΠ
1792 J. Phillips Gen. Hist. Inland Navigation (Addenda) 3 The length of the canal is one mile and a half, with a fall of sixty-seven feet to Ketley; which is managed by a small lock of one foot lift, and an inclined plane.
1836 H. Belcher Illustr. Scenery Line Whitby & Pickering Railway iii. 47 From Beck Hole an inclined plane takes the railway into the upper Vale of Goathland.
1870 Frank Leslie's Illustr. Newspaper 26 Feb. 404/4 For moving lumber in the Sierras these inclined planes are not available, as the great size of the logs would very soon break the slides in pieces.
1905 Street & Electric Railways 1902 (U.S. Dept. Commerce & Labor) v. 85/1 The high earnings and high expenses per car mile for the inclined planes are explained by their short tracks, dense traffic, and relatively large capital investment per mile of track.
1999 R. Morriss Archaeol. Railways v. 63 Several railways in hilly areas included quite sophisticated self-acting inclined planes along their routes.
2015 S. Fisher Canal Guide (Electronic ed.) xii. 91 Although they had side ponds to save water, they caused a tremendous bottleneck for traffic, so an inclined plane was added.
2017 Tribune-Democrat (Johnstown, Pa.) (Nexis) 22 Apr. Johnstown Inclined Plane fares are going up for the first time in more than 15 years.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2016; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
<
n.1661