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Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

dead center en · ADJ

Pronunciation

Etymology

The sense referring to a piston position was originally a variant of earlier dead-point. The adjective carries two of its senses at once in this construction: both "exact" and "without force imparted". As the piston passes through dead center, there is an instant when it is neither being pushed nor being pulled.

Meanings

  1. (US, alt-of, alternative, not-comparable) Alternative form of dead-center.
    • Dead center on its back was the design of a large, blue eye that somehow looked familiar. 2000, L. R. Manley, Thrillseekers.Com: A Novel:
    • It was this side of new, set back from the street in a lot dead center at the end of a cul-de-sac. 2015, Sybil Bartel, Impossible Promise:

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
dead-center alternative lexicographic
dead-centre alternative lexicographic
dead centre alternative lexicographic
deadcenter alternative lexicographic

dead center en · ADV

Pronunciation

Etymology

The sense referring to a piston position was originally a variant of earlier dead-point. The adjective carries two of its senses at once in this construction: both "exact" and "without force imparted". As the piston passes through dead center, there is an instant when it is neither being pushed nor being pulled.

Meanings

  1. (US, alt-of, alternative, not-comparable) Alternative form of dead-center.
    • I give it a flick, so the daisy charm swings back and forth like a pendulum, dead center in the middle of his windshield. 2013, Jenny Han, Siobhan Vivian, Fire with Fire:
    • Now, the Ouija board sat dead center. 2013, Ellie James, Broken Illusions:
    • Damascus White sat dead center in the back of the booth. 2013, Jaye Wells, Rusted Veins: A Sabina Kane Novella:

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
dead-center alternative lexicographic
dead centre alternative lexicographic
deadcenter alternative lexicographic
dead-centre alternative lexicographic

dead center en · NOUN

Pronunciation

Etymology

The sense referring to a piston position was originally a variant of earlier dead-point. The adjective carries two of its senses at once in this construction: both "exact" and "without force imparted". As the piston passes through dead center, there is an instant when it is neither being pushed nor being pulled.

Meanings

  1. (US) Synonym of dead point: the position at which a crank is in a direct line with a connecting rod.
  2. (US) A nonrevolving center in a lathe.
  3. (US, idiomatic) The exact center.

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
dead centers Number=Plur lexicographic
dead centre alternative lexicographic
deadcenter alternative lexicographic
dead-center alternative lexicographic
dead-centre alternative lexicographic

Deriveds

top dead center · bottom dead center

Synonyms

dead point · bullseye (exact center)

Translations (12)

vi chính giữa (idiomatic: precise center) · tr ölü nokta (position of the crank of a piston when it is in line with the connecting rod) · ro punct mort (position of the crank of a piston when it is in line with the connecting rod) · ru мёртвая то́чка (position of the crank of a piston when it is in line with the connecting rod) · fi napakymppi (idiomatic: precise center) · fi kuolokohta (position of the crank of a piston when it is in line with the connecting rod) · de toter Punkt (position of the crank of a piston when it is in line with the connecting rod) · ca punt mort (position of the crank of a piston when it is in line with the connecting rod) · cmn 正中心 (idiomatic: precise center) · mnc ᡨᠣᠪ ᡩᡠᠯᡳᠮᠪᠠ (idiomatic: precise center) · cs úvrať (position of the crank of a piston when it is in line with the connecting rod) · de Totpunkt (position of the crank of a piston when it is in line with the connecting rod)