dictionary help| displacement | medical dictionary |
1. The act of displacing, or the state of being displaced; a putting out of place. The quantity of anything, as water, displaced by a floating body, as by a ship, the weight of the displaced liquid being equal to that of the displacing body.
2. <psychology> The process by which an emotional or behavioural response that is appropriate for one situation appears in another situation for which it is inappropriate.
3. <chemistry> The process of extracting soluble substances from organic material and the like, whereby a quantity of saturated solvent is displaced, or removed, for another quantity of the solvent.
4. <mechanics> Piston displacement, the volume of the space swept through, or weight of steam, water, etc, displaced, in a given time, by the piston of a steam engine or pump.
Origin: Cf. F. Deplacement.
(03 Jul 1999)
dispireme, dispirit, dispirited, displaceability < Prev | Next > displacement analysis, displacement loop
Bookmark with:      | word visualiser | Go and visit our forums  |
