What is "axis"

Axis \Ax"is\, n. [L.] (Zo["o]l.) The spotted deer ( Cervus axis or Axis maculata) of India, where it is called hog deer and parrah (Moorish name).

Axis \Ax"is\, n.; pl. Axes. [L. axis axis, axle. See Axle.] A straight line, real or imaginary, passing through a body, on which it revolves, or may be supposed to revolve; a line passing through a body or system around which the parts are symmetrically arranged. 2. (Math.) A straight line with respect to which the different parts of a magnitude are symmetrically arranged; as, the axis of a cylinder, i. e., the axis of a cone, that is, the straight line joining the vertex and the center of the base; the axis of a circle, any straight line passing through the center. 3. (Bot.) The stem; the central part, or longitudinal support, on which organs or parts are arranged; the central line of any body. --Gray. 4. (Anat.)

1. The second vertebra of the neck, or vertebra dentata.

2. Also used of the body only of the vertebra, which is prolonged anteriorly within the foramen of the first vertebra or atlas, so as to form the odontoid process or peg which serves as a pivot for the atlas and head to turn upon.

   5. (Crystallog.) One of several imaginary lines, assumed in describing the position of the planes by which a crystal is bounded.

   6. (Fine Arts) The primary or secondary central line of any design.

   Anticlinal axis (Geol.), a line or ridge from which the strata slope downward on the two opposite sides.

   Synclinal axis, a line from which the strata slope upward in opposite directions, so as to form a valley.

   Axis cylinder (Anat.), the neuraxis or essential, central substance of a nerve fiber; -- called also axis band, axial fiber, and cylinder axis.

   Axis in peritrochio, the wheel and axle, one of the mechanical powers.

   Axis of a curve (Geom.), a straight line which bisects a system of parallel chords of a curve; called a principal axis, when cutting them at right angles, in which case it divides the curve into two symmetrical portions, as in the parabola, which has one such axis, the ellipse, which has two, or the circle, which has an infinite number. The two axes of the ellipse are the major axis and the minor axis, and the two axes of the hyperbola are the transverse axis and the conjugate axis.

   Axis of a lens, the straight line passing through its center and perpendicular to its surfaces.

   Axis of a microscope or Axis of a telescope, the straight line with which coincide the axes of the several lenses which compose it.

   Axes of co["o]rdinates in a plane, two straight lines intersecting each other, to which points are referred for the purpose of determining their relative position: they are either rectangular or oblique.

   Axes of co["o]rdinates in space, the three straight lines in which the co["o]rdinate planes intersect each other.

   Axis of a balance, that line about which it turns.

   Axis of oscillation, of a pendulum, a right line passing through the center about which it vibrates, and perpendicular to the plane of vibration.

   Axis of polarization, the central line around which the prismatic rings or curves are arranged.
   --Brewster.

   Axis of revolution (Descriptive Geom.), a straight line about which some line or plane is revolved, so that the several points of the line or plane shall describe circles with their centers in the fixed line, and their planes perpendicular to it, the line describing a surface of revolution, and the plane a solid of revolution.

   Axis of symmetry (Geom.), any line in a plane figure which divides the figure into two such parts that one part, when folded over along the axis, shall coincide with the other part.

   Axis of the equator, ecliptic, horizon (or other circle considered with reference to the sphere on which it lies), the diameter of the sphere which is perpendicular to the plane of the circle.
   --Hutton.

   Axis of the Ionic capital (Arch.), a line passing perpendicularly through the middle of the eye of the volute.

   Neutral axis (Mech.), the line of demarcation between the horizontal elastic forces of tension and compression, exerted by the fibers in any cross section of a girder.

   Optic axis of a crystal, the direction in which a ray of transmitted light suffers no double refraction. All crystals, not of the isometric system, are either uniaxial or biaxial.

   Optic axis, Visual axis (Opt.), the straight line passing through the center of the pupil, and perpendicular to the surface of the eye.

   Radical axis of two circles (Geom.), the straight line perpendicular to the line joining their centers and such that the tangents from any point of it to the two circles shall be equal to each other.

   Spiral axis (Arch.), the axis of a twisted column drawn spirally in order to trace the circumvolutions without.

   Axis of abscissas and Axis of ordinates. See Abscissa.

1540s, "imaginary straight line around which a body (such as the Earth) rotates," from Latin axis "axle, pivot, axis of the earth or sky," from PIE *aks- "axis" (cognates: Old English eax, Old High German ahsa "axle;" Greek axon "axis, axle, wagon;" Sanskrit aksah "an axle, axis, beam of a balance;" Lithuanian aszis "axle"). Figurative sense in world history of "alliance between Germany and Italy" (later extended unetymologically to include Japan) is from 1936. Original reference was to a "Rome-Berlin axis" in central Europe. The word later was used in reference to a London-Washington axis (World War II) and a Moscow-Peking axis (early Cold War).

n. The alliance (in effect before and during World War II) of Germany, Italy, Japan(,) and several minor allied countries, which opposed the Allies.

1. n. a straight line through a body or figure that satisfies certain conditions

2. the center around which something rotates [syn: axis of rotation]

3. the main stem or central part about which plant organs or plant parts such as branches are arranged

4. in World War II the alliance of Germany and Italy in 1936 which later included Japan and other nations; "the Axis opposed the Allies in World War II"

5. a group of countries in special alliance [syn: bloc]

6. the 2nd cervical vertebra; serves as a pivot for turning the head [syn: axis vertebra]

Axis may refer to:

In anatomy, the second cervical vertebra (C2) of the spine is named the axis (from Latin axis, "axle") or epistropheus.

It forms the pivot upon which the first cervical vertebra (the atlas), which carries the head, rotates.

The most distinctive characteristic of this bone is the strong odontoid process known as the dens which rises perpendicularly from the upper surface of the body. That peculiar feature gives to the vertebra a rarely used third name: vertebra dentata. In some judicial hangings the odontoid process may break and hit the medulla oblongata, causing death.

Axis is the second album released by Australian hip hop artist MC Pegz. It was released in 2005, 18 months after his debut album. This recording features appearances from other Australian MCs, including Hilltop Hoods, Hyjak N Torcha, and Debaser (Ethic and Sapient).

AXIS is the annual technical festival of the Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology, Nagpur. Traditionally held in the month of September or early October, AXIS has grown to become one of the largest technical festivals in India and the largest in Central India. AXIS organises over 40 events, exhibitions and workshops, encompassing multiple engineering disciplines, with an aim to provide a national platform to attract and nurture talent in the fields of science and technology. AXIS also undertakes various social initiatives which strive to bring about a change in the lives of those less fortunate than themselves. Started in 2004 after merging two traditionally held festivals - the IEEE Expressions and Odyssey, AXIS has come a long way from its modest beginnings and annually attracts over 25,000 school and college students from different parts of the country.

Axis is a science fiction novel by author Robert Charles Wilson, published in 2007. It is a direct sequel to Wilson's Hugo Award-winning Spin, published two years earlier. The novel was a finalist for the 2008 John W. Campbell Award.

"Axis" is the first track from the Pet Shop Boys album Electric, released as a promotional single on 30 April 2013.

Axis is a live solo album by pianist Paul Bley recorded in New York in 1977 and released on Bley's own Improvising Artists label the following year.

"AXIS" (also known as "Avengers & X-Men: AXIS") is a 2014 comic book storyline published by Marvel Comics.