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definitions

inclined plane

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SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR inclined plane ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

one of the simple machines, a plane surface inclined to the horizon, or forming with a horizontal plane any angle but a right angle.Compare machine(def 4b).
incline(def 10a).

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RELATED WORDS

slope, level, adit, grade, rise, access, gradient, hill, inclination, declivity, height, cant, pitch, ascent, upgrade, descent, tilt, lean, elevation, slant

Nearby words

  1. inclinable,
  2. inclination,
  3. inclinatory,
  4. incline,
  5. inclined,
  6. inclined railway,
  7. inclined to,
  8. inclining,
  9. inclinometer,
  10. inclip

Origin of inclined plane

First recorded in 1700–10
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for inclined plane

British Dictionary definitions for inclined plane

inclined plane

noun

a plane whose angle to the horizontal is less than a right angle
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
Science definitions for inclined plane

inclined plane

[ĭn′klīnd′]

A plane surface, such as a ramp or a blade, set at an acute angle to a horizontal surface, a direction of motion, or a direction of force. Inclined planes are used to increase the distance over which work is done, reducing the amount of force needed to impart energy to a system. Rolling a car up a hill, for example, requires less force than lifting it straight up off the ground. Many tools, such as the ax, wedge, chisel, and highway ramp, exploit the mechanical properties of the inclined plane.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.