Definify.com

Webster 1913 Edition

Lens

Lens

(lĕnz)
,
Noun.
;
pl.
Lenses
(-ĕz)
.
[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 regular surfaces, either both curved, or one curved and the other plane, and commonly used, either singly or combined, in optical instruments, for changing the direction of rays of light, and thus magnifying objects, or otherwise modifying vision. In practice, the curved surfaces are usually spherical, though rarely cylindrical, or of some other figure.
Lenses
☞ Of spherical lenses, there are six varieties, as shown in section in the figures herewith given: viz.,
a
plano-concave;
b
double-concave;
c
plano-convex;
d
double-convex;
e
converging concavo-convex, or converging meniscus;
f
diverging concavo-convex, or diverging meniscus.
Crossed lens
(Opt.)
,
a double-convex lens with one radius equal to six times the other.
–
Crystalline lens
.
(Anat.)
See
Eye
.
–
Fresnel lens
(Opt.)
,
a compound lens formed by placing around a central convex lens rings of glass so curved as to have the same focus; used, especially in lighthouses, for concentrating light in a particular direction; – so called from the inventor.
–
Multiplying lens
or
Multiplying glass
(Opt.)
,
a lens one side of which is plane and the other convex, but made up of a number of plane faces inclined to one another, each of which presents a separate image of the object viewed through it, so that the object is, as it were, multiplied.
–
Polyzonal lens
.
See
Polyzonal
.

Webster 1828 Edition

Lens

LENS

,
Noun.
plu.
lenses. [L. lens, a lentil.] A transparent substance, usually glass, so formed that rays of light passing through it are made to change their direction, and to magnify or diminish objects at a certain distance. Lenses are double-convex, or convex on both sides; double-concave, or concave on both sides; plano-convex, or plano-concave, that is, with one side plane, and the other convex or concave; or convex on one side and concave on the other; the latter is called a meniscus.

Definition 2024

lēns

lēns

See also: lens, Lens, and Lëns

Latvian

Adjective

lēns (def. lēnais, comp. lēnāks, sup. vislēnākais; irreg. adv. lēni, lēnām, lēnu)

  1. slow (which moves so as to cover relatively small distances in every time interval)
    lēns gājējs, braucējs‎ ― slow walker, rider
    lēns vilciens‎ ― slow train
    lēna upe‎ ― slow river
    lēns vējš‎ ― slow wind
  2. (of events, actions) slow (which does not happen quickly, swiftly)
    lēns brauciens‎ ― slow ride
    lēna iešana‎ ― slow walk
    lēns darba ritms‎ ― slow work rhythm
    lēna domāšana‎ ― slow thinking
    lēna uguns‎ ― slow fire (i.e., with low flames)
  3. (of time periods) slow (without much action, without much happening)
    lēns vakars‎ ― slow evening
  4. (of people) calm, meek, peaceful (who usually does not become angry, worried, who does not react quickly; (of animals) who is not wild, angry)
    lēns cilvēks‎ ― peaceful person
    lēna meitene‎ ― peaceful girl
    lēns raksturs‎ ― calm, peaceful character
    lēns ka jērs‎ ― peaceful as a lamb
    lēns suns‎ ― nice, calm (not wild) dog
  5. (of people, animals) slow (who does not move, work, or act quickly)
    lēns strādnieks‎ ― slow worker
    lēns zirgs‎ ― slow horse

Declension

Antonyms

Derived terms

References

  1. ↑ Karulis, Konstantīns (1992), “lēns”, in Latviešu Etimoloģijas Vārdnīca (in Latvian), Rīga: AVOTS, ISBN 9984-700-12-7

Etymology

From Proto-Indo-European *ley-, *lē-, *le- ‎(“to let, to allow”) (whence also Latvian laist ‎(“to let, to allow”), q.v.) with a suffix -no. The semantic evolution was probably: “which is allowed (to do something)” > “not dangerous, gentle, calm” > “slow.” Cognates include Lithuanian lė́nas ‎(“slow, peaceful”), Russian лень ‎(len', “laziness”), Czech líný ‎(“slow, lazy”), Polish leń ‎(“lazy person”), Latin lēnis ‎(“gentle, slow”).[1]

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): [læ̀ːns]

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