elastic limit

American  

noun

Physics.

1. the greatest stress that can be applied to an elastic body without causing permanent deformation.

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elastic limit British  

noun

1. the greatest stress that can be applied to a material without causing permanent deformation

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elastic limit Scientific  

1. The stress point at which a material, if subjected to higher stress, will no longer return to its original shape. Brittle materials tend to break at or shortly past their elastic limit, while ductile materials deform at stress levels beyond their elastic limit.

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Etymology

Origin of elastic limit

First recorded in 1860–65

Example Sentences

The music stretches the Pixies/Nirvana quiet-loud dynamic to its elastic limit and the song is half over before the cathartic explosion comes.

From The Guardian

Then you have to express even deeper humility to be chosen among a shortlist of such startling quality, and stretch the patience of your audience to its elastic limit with a string of thankyous.

From The Guardian

When the loops part too far from each other and the steel reaches its elastic limit, the clip breaks.

From Slate

Within the elastic limit of the metal you may assume the compression to be a spring.

From Project Gutenberg

No coil is ever shrunk on with so great a shrinkage as the 2⁄1000th part of its circumference or diameter, for it would be strained beyond its elastic limit.

From Project Gutenberg