mechanics

[ muh-kan-iks ]
See synonyms for mechanics on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. (used with a singular verb) the branch of physics that deals with the action of forces on bodies and with motion, comprised of kinetics, statics, and kinematics.

  2. (used with a singular verb) the theoretical and practical application of this science to machinery, mechanical appliances, etc.

  1. (usually used with a plural verb) the technical aspect or working part; mechanism; structure.

  2. (usually used with a plural verb) routine or basic methods, procedures, techniques, or details: the mechanics of running an office; the mechanics of baseball.

Origin of mechanics

1
First recorded in 1640–50; see origin at mechanic, -ics

Words Nearby mechanics

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use mechanics in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for mechanics

mechanics

/ (mɪˈkænɪks) /


noun
  1. (functioning as singular) the branch of science, divided into statics, dynamics, and kinematics, concerned with the equilibrium or motion of bodies in a particular frame of reference: See also quantum mechanics, wave mechanics, statistical mechanics

  2. (functioning as singular) the science of designing, constructing, and operating machines

  1. the working parts of a machine

  2. the technical aspects of something: the mechanics of poetic style

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for mechanics

mechanics

[ mĭ-kănĭks ]


  1. The branch of physics concerned with the relationships between matter, force, and energy, especially as they affect the motion of objects. See also classical physics quantum mechanics.

  2. The functional aspect of a system, such as the mechanics of blood circulation.

The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Cultural definitions for mechanics

mechanics

The branch of physics that deals with the motion of material objects. The term mechanics generally refers to the motion of large objects, whereas the study of motion at the level of the atom or smaller is the domain of quantum mechanics.

Notes for mechanics

The basic laws of mechanics are Newton's laws of motion.

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.