lens

lens
I. noun Etymology: New Latin lent-, lens, from Latin, lentil; from its shape Date: 1673 1. a. a piece of transparent material (as glass) that has two opposite regular surfaces either both curved or one curved and the other plane and that is used either singly or combined in an optical instrument for forming an image by focusing rays of light b. a combination of two or more simple lenses c. a piece of glass or plastic used (as in safety goggles or sunglasses) to protect the eye 2. a device for directing or focusing radiation other than light (as sound waves, radio microwaves, or electrons) 3. something shaped like a biconvex optical lens <
lens of sandstone
>
4. a highly transparent biconvex lens-shaped or nearly spherical body in the eye that focuses light rays (as upon the retina) — see eye illustration 5. something that facilitates and influences perception, comprehension, or evaluation <
viewing the current legal battle…through partisan lensesNew Republic
>
6. gravitational lenslensed adjectivelensless adjective II. transitive verb Date: 1942 to make a motion picture of ; film

New Collegiate Dictionary. 2001.

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  • Lens — can refer to: NOTOC In optics*Lens (optics), an optical element which converges or diverges light **Lens (anatomy), a part of the eye **Corrective lens for correction of human vision ***Contact lens, placed on the cornea of the eye **Photographic …   Wikipedia

  • Lens — (l[e^]nz), n.; pl. {Lenses} ( [e^]z). [L. lens a lentil. So named from the resemblance in shape of a double convex lens to the seed of a lentil. Cf. {Lentil}.] (Opt.) A piece of glass, or other transparent substance, ground with two opposite… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • LENS — La ville de Lens comptait en 1990 35 278 habitants et celle de Liévin 34 012. Il s’agit en réalité d’un ensemble de communes qui englobent le quart du bassin minier. Sur le site de passage entre la France et les bas pays, dominée par les hauteurs …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • lens — [lenz] n [Date: 1600 1700; : Latin; Origin: lentil ; because of its shape] 1.) the part of a camera through which the light travels before it reaches the film ▪ a standard 50mm lens 2.) a piece of curved glass or plastic which makes things look… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • lens — (n.) 1690s, glass to regulate light rays, from L. lens (gen. lentis) lentil, on analogy of the double convex shape. See LENTIL (Cf. lentil). Of the eye from 1719. In the vernacular of the photographer, anyone crowding to the front of a group,… …   Etymology dictionary

  • lens — [ lenz ] noun count * 1. ) a thin piece of curved glass or plastic that makes things seem smaller, bigger, or clearer: eyeglasses with thick lenses a ) a piece of equipment that is part of a camera: a camera with a telescopic lens 2. ) the part… …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • Lens —   [lãs], Stadt im Département Pas de Calais, im Kohlenrevier Nordwestfrankreichs, 38 m über dem Meeresspiegel, 35 000 Einwohner; Steinkohlenbergbau, Kokerei, Stahl und Konfektionsindustrie.   Geschichte:   Lens wurde im Ersten Weltkrieg stark… …   Universal-Lexikon

  • LENS — Graece φακῆ, tenuiorum et Philosophorum cibus, Cynicorum praesertim, olim fuit, cuius encomium vide apud Athen. l. 4. c. 18. Sed et edulio eius tantopere in sacris Esavus legitur gavisus, ut iure primogentiurae illud redimere profanus homo non… …   Hofmann J. Lexicon universale

  • lens — [lenz] n. [L, lentil: from the resemblance to the shape of a lentil] 1. a) a piece of glass, or other transparent substance, with two curved surfaces, or one plane and one curved, regularly bringing together or spreading rays of light passing… …   English World dictionary

  • Lens [1] — Lens (lat.), 1) Linse; 2) (L. crystallĭna), Krystalllinse, s.u. Auge …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • Lens [2] — Lens, s.u. Lenspumpen …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

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