deflection

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. n. The act of deflecting or the condition of being deflected.
2. n. Deviation or a specified amount of deviation.
3. n. The deviation of an indicator of a measuring instrument from zero or from its normal position.
4. n. The movement of a structure or structural part as a result of stress.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. The act of turning or the state of being turned aside from a straight line or course; a turning from a true line or the regular course; deviation.
2. n. Figuratively, deviation from the right, regular, or expected course of action or thought; aberration.
3. n. Specifically Nautical, the deviation of a ship from her true course in sailing.
4. n. In optics, a deviation of the rays of light toward the surface of an opaque body; inflection. See diffraction.
5. n. In electricity, the deviation or swing of a magnetic needle from the zero of its position: often measured in degrees.
6. n. In mathematics: The distance by which a curve departs from another curve, or from a straight line.
7. n. Any effect either of curvature or of discontinuous change of direction.
8. n. In mech., the bending of material under a transverse strain, as of a beam under the weight of a load.
9. n. In entomology: The state of being bent downward: as, a deflection of the side of the pronotum.
10. n. A deflected part or margin.

Wiktionary

1. n. The act of deflecting or something deflected.
2. n. The deviation of a needle or other indicator from its previous position.

GNU Webster's 1913

1. n. The act of turning aside, or state of being turned aside; a turning from a right line or proper course; a bending, esp. downward; deviation.
2. n. (Gunnery) The deviation of a shot or ball from its true course.
3. n. (Opt.) A deviation of the rays of light toward the surface of an opaque body; inflection; diffraction.
4. n. (Engin.) The bending which a beam or girder undergoes from its own weight or by reason of a load.

WordNet 3.0

1. n. the amount by which a propagating wave is bent
2. n. a twist or aberration; especially a perverse or abnormal way of judging or acting
3. n. a turning aside (of your course or attention or concern)
4. n. the property of being bent or deflected
5. n. the movement of the pointer or pen of a measuring instrument from its zero position