Part 6915

<p><b>1.</b> <def>Pertaining to, governed by, or in accordance with, mechanics, or the laws of motion; pertaining to the quantitative relations of force and matter, as distinguished from <i>mental</i>, <i>vital</i>, <i>chemical</i>, etc.; <as>as, <ex>mechanical</ex> principles; a <ex>mechanical</ex> theory; <ex>mechanical</ex> deposits.</as></def>

<p><b>2.</b> <def>Of or pertaining to a machine or to machinery or tools; made or formed by a machine or with tools; <as>as, <ex>mechanical</ex> precision; <ex>mechanical</ex> products.</as></def>

<blockquote>We have also divers <b>mechanical</b> arts. <i>Bacon.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>3.</b> <def>Done as if by a machine; uninfluenced by will or emotion; proceeding automatically, or by habit, without special intention or reflection; <as>as, <ex>mechanical</ex> singing; <ex>mechanical</ex> verses; <ex>mechanical</ex> service.</as></def>

<p><b>4.</b> <def>Made and operated by interaction of forces without a directing intelligence; <as>as, a <ex>mechanical</ex> universe</as>.</def>

<p><b>5.</b> <def>Obtained by trial, by measurements, etc.; approximate; empirical. See the 2d Note under <er>Geometric</er>.</def>

<cs><col>Mechanical effect</col>, <cd>effective power; useful work exerted, as by a machine, in a definite time.</cd> -- <col>Mechanical engineering</col>. <cd>See the Note under <er>Engineering</er>.</cd> -- <col>Mechanical maneuvers</col> <fld>(Mil.)</fld>, <cd>the application of mechanical appliances to the mounting, dismounting, and moving of artillery. <i>Farrow</i>.</cd> -- <col>Mechanical philosophy</col>, <cd>the principles of mechanics applied to the inverstigation of physical phenomena.</cd> -- <col>Mechanical powers</col>, <cd>certain simple instruments, such as the lever and its modifications (the wheel and axle and the pulley), the inclined plane with its modifications (the screw and the wedge), which convert a small force acting throught a great space into a great force acting through a small space, or <it>vice versa<it>, and are used separately or in combination.</cd> -- <col>Mechanical solution</col> <fld>(Math.)</fld>, <cd>a solution of a problem by any art or contrivance not strictly geometrical, as by means of the ruler and compasses, or other instruments.</cd></cs>

<h1>Mechanical</h1> <Xpage=906>

<hw>Me*chan"ic*al</hw>, <tt>n.</tt> <def>A mechanic.</def> <mark>[Obs.]</mark>

<i>Shak.</i>

<h1>Mechanicalize</h1> <Xpage=906>

<hw>Me*chan"ic*al*ize</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>v. t.</tt> <def>To cause to become mechanical.</def>

<h1>Mechanically</h1> <Xpage=906>

<hw>Me*chan"ic*al*ly</hw>, <tt>adv.</tt> <def>In a mechanical manner.</def>

<h1>Mechanicalness</h1> <Xpage=906>

<hw>Me*chan"ic*al*ness</hw>, <tt>n.</tt> <def>The state or quality of being mechanical.</def>

<h1>Mechanician</h1> <Xpage=906>

<hw>Mech`a*ni"cian</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[Cf. F. <ets>m\'82canicien</ets>. See <er>Mechanic</er>.]</ety> <def>One skilled in the theory or construction of machines; a machinist.</def>

<i>Boyle.</i>

<h1>Mechanico-chemical</h1> <Xpage=906>

<hw>Me*chan`i*co-chem"ic*al</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>a.</tt> <def>Pertaining to, connected with, or dependent upon, both mechanics and chemistry; -- said especially of those sciences which treat of such phenomena as seem to depend on the laws both of mechanics and chemistry, as electricity and magnetism.</def>

<h1>Mechanics</h1> <Xpage=906>

<hw>Me*chan"ics</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[Cf. F. <ets>m\'82canique</ets>.]</ety> <def>That science, or branch of applied mathematics, which treats of the action of forces on bodies.</def>

<note>&hand; That part of <i>mechanics</i> which considers the action of forces in producing rest or equilibrium is called <stype>statics</stype>; that which relates to such action in producing motion is called <stype>dynamics</stype>. The term <i>mechanics</i> includes the action of forces on all bodies, whether solid, liquid, or gaseous. It is sometimes, however, and formerly was often, used distinctively of <i>solid</i> bodies only: The mechanics of <i>liquid</i> bodies is called also <stype>hydrostatics</stype>, or <stype>hydrodynamics</stype>, according as the laws of rest or of motion are considered. The mechanics of <i>gaseous bodies</i> is called also <stype>pneumatics</stype>. The mechanics of fluids in motion, with special reference to the methods of obtaining from them useful results, constitutes <stype>hydraulics</stype>.</note>

<cs><col>Animal mechanics</col> <fld>(Physiol.)</fld>, <cd>that portion of physiology which has for its object the investigation of the laws of equilibrium and motion in the animal body. The most important mechanical principle is that of the lever, the bones forming the arms of the levers, the contractile muscles the power, the joints the fulcra or points of support, while the weight of the body or of the individual limbs constitutes the weight or resistance.</cd> -- <col>Applied mechanics</col>, <cd>the principles of abstract mechanics applied to human art; also, the practical application of the laws of matter and motion to the construction of machines and structures of all kinds.</cd></cs>

<h1>Mechanism</h1> <Xpage=906>

<hw>Mech"an*ism</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[Cf. F. <ets>m\'82canisme</ets>, L. <ets>mechanisma</ets>. See <er>Mechanic</er>.]</ety> <p><b>1.</b> <def>The arrangement or relation of the parts of a machine; the parts of a machine, taken collectively; the arrangement or relation of the parts of anything as adapted to produce an effect; <as>as, the <ex>mechanism</ex> of a watch; the <ex>mechanism</ex> of a sewing machine; the <ex>mechanism</ex> of a seed pod.</as></def>

<p><b>2.</b> <def>Mechanical operation or action.</def>