versed sine

American  

noun

Trigonometry.

1. one minus the cosine of a given angle or arc. vers.

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versed sine British  

noun

1.  vers.  a trigonometric function equal to one minus the cosine of the specified angle

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Etymology

Origin of versed sine

First recorded in 1590–1600

Example Sentences

After five coolings, a bar of iron, 28 inches long, 31⁄2 inches deep, and 1⁄2 inch thick, was curved so that the versed sine of its air-cooled edge was 11⁄2 inches.

From Project Gutenberg

Since my coming from England in '92, an Iron Bridge of a single arch 236 feet span versed sine 34 feet, has been cast at the Iron Works of the Walkers where my model was, and erected over the river Wear at Sunderland in the county of Durham in England.

From Project Gutenberg

The ball of resistance was put in motion—the electric fluid of patriotism commenced its insulating powers in the north and south—extending from sire to son, from heart to heart, until the two streams of fire met in the centre—then rising in grandeur, formed the luminous arch of Freedom—its chord extending from Maine to Georgia—its versed sine resting on the city Penn. Under its zenith at Philadelphia, Mr. Jefferson took his seat in the Continental Congress on the 21st of June 1775.

From Project Gutenberg

A plane surface necessarily contracts the field of view to such a space as could be cut out of the periphery of a hollow sphere, the versed sine of which bears but a small ratio to its chord.

From Project Gutenberg

Regarding the protuberance as a spherical swelling, the length of the arc corresponding to a chord of 100 miles and a versed sine of 3 miles is 100.24 miles; consequently the surface to reach its new position must stretch 0.24 of a mile, or be broken.

From Project Gutenberg