lost motion

American  

noun

Machinery.

1. motion of a machine or mechanism, especially a reciprocating one, during which no useful work is performed.

2. motion between parts in an assembly due to manufacturing tolerances, adjustments, slip, or wear.

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Etymology

Origin of lost motion

First recorded in 1875–80

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

lost motion

It has over 15,000 parts, but so carefully is it made that lost motion is reduced practically to zero.

From Scientific American ● Jan. 14, 2013

Ambidextrous, he has a knack of changing the ball from one hand to another at the last second and getting it in the clear without a bit of lost motion.

From Time Magazine Archive

A spiral spring pressing against one of the journals into which the axle is mounted prevents any lost motion in the worm gear.

From Microscopes and Accessory Apparatus Catalogue No. 40 by Ernst Leitz

Chug—The action of the knife that results from lost motion in the parts connecting the knife-bar to the parts that operate it.

From Paper-Cutting Machines A Primer of Information about Paper and Card Trimmers, Hand-Lever Cutters, Power Cutters and Other Automatic Machines for Cutting Paper (Typographic Technical Series Part 1, No. 10) by David Grayson

The shoes or gibs should not bear hard upon the guides, but be an easy sliding fit without lost motion.

From Modern Machine-Shop Practice, Volumes I and II by Joshua Rose