Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Detent
De-tent′
,Noun.
[F.
détente
, fr. détendre
to unbend, relax; pref. dé-
(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.
Webster 1828 Edition
Detent
DETENT
,Noun.
Definition 2024
detent
detent
English
Noun
detent (plural detents)
- 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.
- 1972, Mayer et al., United States Patent 3760640, abstract:
- A UHF tuner having 70 detent positions with fine tuning capability at all locations. Coarse tuning is accomplished via a toothed, detented disk and a spirally-extending rim having a follower lever operable therewith.
- 1972, Mayer et al., United States Patent 3760640, abstract:
Verb
detent (third-person singular simple present detents, present participle detenting, simple past and past participle detented)
- The action of creating a detent mechanism to lock or unlock movement.