English Dictionary: detent | by the DICT Development Group |
2 results for detent | |
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]: | |
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: | |
Detent \De*tent"\, n. [F. d[82]tente, fr. d[82]tendre to unbend, relax; pref. d[82]- (L. dis- or de) + tendre to stretch. See {Distend}.] (Mech.) That which locks or unlocks a movement; a catch, pawl, or dog; especially, in clockwork, the catch which locks and unlocks the wheelwork in striking. |