Elastic definitions and example sentences on Wordnik

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Definitions (36)

American Heritage Dictionary (8)

adjective Easily resuming original shape after being stretched or expanded; flexible. See Synonyms at flexible.
adjective Springy; rebounding.
adjective Physics Returning to or capable of returning to an initial form or state after deformation.

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Century Dictionary (22)

Serving, as a catapult, to hurl missiles by the force of a spring. By what elastick engines did she rear The starry roof, and roll the orbs in air? Sir R. Blackmore.
Having, as a solid body, the power of returning to the form from which it is bent, extended, pressed, pulled, or distorted, as soon as the force applied is removed; having, as a fluid, the property of recovering its former volume after compression. A body is perfectly elastic when it has the property of resisting a given deformation equally, however that deformation may have been produced, whether slowly or suddenly, etc. All bodies, however, have different elasticities at different temperatures, and if the deformation is so sudden as to change the temperature of the body and so alter its resistance to deformation, this is not considered as showing it to be imperfectly elastic. For the more easy understanding of the experiments triable by our engine, I thought it not superfluous nor unseasonable, in the recital of this first of them, to insinuate that notion by which it seems likely that most, if not all of them, will prove explicable. Your Lordship will easily suppose that the notion I speak of is that there is a spring, or elastical power, in the air we live in. By which ἐλατήρ or spring of the air, that which I mean is this: that our air either consists of, or at least abounds with, parts of such a nature that in case they be bent or compressed by the weight of the incumbent part of the atmosphere, or by any other body, they do endeavor, as much as in them lieth, to free themselves from that pressure, by bearing against the contiguous bodies that keep them bent; and as soon as those bodies are removed, or reduced to give them way, by presently unbending and stretching out themselves, either quite, or so far forth as the contiguous bodies that resist them permit, and thereby expanding the whole parcel of air these elastical bodies compose. Boyle, Spring of the Air (1659). A body is called elastic in which a particle moved from its natural position of equilibrium has a tendency to return to its first position as soon as the external cause which had displaced it has ceased. Blaserna, Sound (trans.), p. 4.
Figuratively Admitting of extension; capable of expanding and contracting, according to circumstances; hence, yielding and accommodating: as, an elastic conscience; elastic principles. A volunteer navy may in some degree supply the place of privateers, supposing that plenty of time and an elastic organization are at command. J. R. Soley, Blockade and Cruisers, p. 169.

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Examples (50)

It is elastic, and enlarges with every lawful claimant to be admitted into its sanctuary. — Ernest Linwood or, The Inner Life of the Author
His footstep was light and elastic, and his whole body seemed to breathe out a gay activity, a fulness of the joy of life. — The Call of the Blood
It should be understood that our corps organizations are very elastic, and that we have at no time had permanent assignments of divisions to corps After four hours' artillery preparation, the seven American divisions in the front line advanced at 5 A.M. on Sept. 12, assisted by a limited number of tanks, manned partly by Americans and partly by French. — Winning a Cause World War Stories
As the muscles and ligaments are elastic, the womb slightly changes its position with different movements of the body. — Herself Talks with Women Concerning Themselves
Every woman should be provided with a circular girdle cut upon the bias so it may be elastic, and provided with tabs to which to pin the folded cloth. — Herself Talks with Women Concerning Themselves

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flexible · supple · transparent · soft · springy · brittle · slender · muscular · silken · buoyant · dense · robust

Roget's II: The New Thesaurus, Third Edition by the Editors of the American Heritage® Dictionary. Copyright © 2003, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Etymologies (2)

American Heritage Dictionary (1)

New Latin elasticus, from Late Greek elastos, beaten, ductile, variant of Greek elatos, from elaunein, to beat out.

Century Dictionary (1)

Formerly also elastick (first recorded in the form elastical: see first quot.); = French élastique = Spanish elático = Portuguese Italian elastico (cf. D. G. elastisch = Danish Swedish elastisk), from New Latin elasticus (New Greek ἐλαστικός), elastic, from Greek as if *ἐλαστής, for ἐλατής, equivalent to ἐλατήρ, a driver, hurler (see elater), from ε\λαύνειν(ἐλα-), drive, set in motion, push, strike, beat out.

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