See Also: zero gravity(medicine)
gravity(dictionary)
Gravity(medicine)
gravity(dictionary)
centre of gravity(dictionary)
specific gravity(encyclopedia)
gravity, centre of(encyclopedia)
specific gravity(dictionary)
gravity perception(medicine)
gravity, altered(medicine)

gravity (iou)



gravity noun. L15.
[Old & mod. French gravite or Latin gravitas, from gravis GRAVE adjective1: see -ITY.]
I.
Grave or serious character or nature; importance; seriousness. L15.
Joseph Parker Great questions should be considered in a spirit worthy of their gravity.
Dignity, solemnity, serious and dignified formality; solemn conduct or demeanour, staidness. Now esp. seriousness as opp. to levity or gaiety. E16.
Ld Macaulay The gravity and pomp of the whole proceeding. H. Caine She grew uneasy at the settled gravity of his face.
a. Weight, influence, authority. M16-M18.
b. Something grave; a grave or serious subject, speech, or remark. Formerly also as a respectful title. arch. E17.
Gibbon Your Gravity, Your Excellency, Your Eminence. George Eliot Books of German science, and other gravities.
II.
a. The quality of having weight; tendency to downward motion. Only in 17.
b. Weight, heaviness. Now chiefly in centre of gravity s.v. CENTRE noun, specific gravity s.v. SPECIFIC adjective. M17.
Lowness of pitch of sound. M17.
The attractive force by which bodies are drawn towards the centre of the earth or of another celestial object; the degree of intensity of this measured by the acceleration produced; gravitational force. L17.
zero gravity: see ZERO noun & adjective.
Burke If I were to explain the motion of a body falling to the ground, I would say it was caused by gravity. P. Davies Stars so massive that their gravity even traps their own light.
Comb.: gravity-fed adjective supplied with material by gravity feed; gravity feed a supply system that makes use of gravity to maintain the flow of material; the supply of material in this way; gravity wave (a) a wave on a liquid surface in which the dominant force is gravity; (b) = GRAVITATIONAL wave (a).