mechanism

mechanism
noun Date: 1662 1. a. a piece of machinery b. a process, technique, or system for achieving a result 2. mechanical operation or action ; working 2 3. a doctrine that holds natural processes (as of life) to be mechanically determined and capable of complete explanation by the laws of physics and chemistry 4. the fundamental processes involved in or responsible for an action, reaction, or other natural phenomenon <
mechanisms of organic evolution
>
— compare defense mechanism

New Collegiate Dictionary. 2001.

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  • Mechanism — • There is no constant meaning in the history of philosophy for the word Mechanism. Originally, the term meant that cosmological theory which ascribes the motion and changes of the world to some external force Catholic Encyclopedia. Kevin Knight …   Catholic encyclopedia

  • mechanism — mech‧a‧nis‧m [ˈmekənɪzm] noun [countable] a system used to achieve something or deal with a problem: • The increased lending can be done through existing lending mechanisms. • There is a move to introduce free market mechanisms in the airline… …   Financial and business terms

  • Mechanism — may refer to: Mechanism (engineering), rigid bodies connected by joints in order to accomplish a desired force and/or motion transmission Mechanism (biology), explaining how a feature is created Mechanism (philosophy), a theory that all natural… …   Wikipedia

  • Mechanism — Mech an*ism, n. [Cf. F. m[ e]canisme, L. mechanisma. See {Mechanic}.] 1. 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 …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • mechanism — [mek′ə niz΄əm] n. [ModL mechanismus < Gr mēchanē, MACHINE] 1. the working parts or arrangement of parts of a machine; works [the mechanism of a clock] 2. a) a system whose parts work together like those of a machine [the mechanism of the… …   English World dictionary

  • mechanism — [n1] machine, device apparatus, appliance, black box*, components, contrivance, doohickey*, gadget, gears, gimmick, innards, instrument, machinery, motor, structure, system, tool, workings, works; concept 463 mechanism [n2] means, method agency,… …   New thesaurus

  • mechanism — index appliance, contrivance, expedient, facility (instrumentality), forum (medium), instrument ( …   Law dictionary

  • mechanism — 1660s, from Mod.L. mechanismus, from Gk. mekhane machine, instrument (see MACHINE (Cf. machine) (n.)) …   Etymology dictionary

  • mechanism — *machine, machinery, apparatus, engine, motor …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • mechanism — ► NOUN 1) a piece of machinery. 2) the way in which something works or is brought about …   English terms dictionary

  • mechanism — noun 1 part of a machine ADJECTIVE ▪ firing, locking, steering, trigger, winding VERB + MECHANISM ▪ activate ▪ This ac …   Collocations dictionary

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