Crossword clues for spline
spline
The Collaborative International Dictionary
Spline \Spline\, n.
A rectangular piece fitting grooves like key seats in a hub and a shaft, so that while the one may slide endwise on the other, both must revolve together; a feather; also, sometimes, a groove to receive such a rectangular piece.
A long, flexble piece of wood sometimes used as a ruler.
Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
long, thin piece of wood or metal, 1756, from East Anglian dialect, of uncertain origin. Perhaps from older Danish splind or North Frisian splinj. Especially one fitted into a groove on a wheel and a shaft to keep them revolving together (1864).
Wiktionary
n. 1 Long thin piece of metal or wood. (from the mid 18th c) 2 A rectangular piece that fits grooves like key seats in a hub and a shaft, so that while the one may slide endwise on the other, both must revolve together. 3 A flexible strip of metal or other material, that may be bent into a curve and used in a similar manner to a ruler to draw smooth curves between points. 4 (context mathematics computing English) Any of a number of smooth curves used to join points. 5 (context woodworking English) A strip of wood or other material inserted into grooves in each of two pieces of wood to provide additional surface for gluing. vb. 1 (context mathematics computing English) To smooth (a curve or surface) by means of a spline. 2 (context engineering English) To fit with a spline. 3 (context engineering English) To fasten to or together with a spline.
WordNet
n. a flexible strip (wood or rubber) used in drawing curved lines
a thin strip (wood or metal) [syn: slat]
Wikipedia
Spline may refer to:
- Spline (mechanical), a mating feature for rotating elements
- Spline (mathematics), a mathematical function used for interpolation or smoothing
- Smoothing spline, a method of smoothing using a spline function
- Multivariate adaptive regression splines, statistical modelling
- Flat spline, a device to draw curves
- Spline drive, a type of screw drive
- Spline (alien beings), fictional alien beings
- Spline cord, a type of thin rubber cord used to secure a window screen to its frame
- Spline, otherwise known as Star filler, is a type of plastic cable filler for CAT cable
In mathematics, a spline is a numeric function that is piecewise-defined by polynomial functions, and which possesses a high degree of smoothness at the places where the polynomial pieces connect (which are known as nodes).
In interpolating problems, spline interpolation is often preferred to polynomial interpolation because it yields similar results to interpolating with higher degree polynomials while avoiding instability due to Runge's phenomenon. In computer graphics, parametric curves whose coordinates are given by splines are popular because of the simplicity of their construction, their ease and accuracy of evaluation, and their capacity to approximate complex shapes through curve fitting and interactive curve design.
The most commonly used splines are cubic splines, i.e., of order 4—in particular, cubic B-spline, which is equivalent to C2 continuous composite Bézier curves. They are common, in particular, in spline interpolation simulating the function of flat splines.
The term spline is adopted from the name of a flexible strip of metal commonly used by drafters to assist in drawing curved lines.
Splines are ridges or teeth on a drive shaft that mesh with grooves in a mating piece and transfer torque to it, maintaining the angular correspondence between them.
For instance, a gear mounted on a shaft might use a male spline on the shaft that matches the female spline on the gear. The splines on the pictured drive shaft match with the female splines in the center of the clutch plate, while the smooth tip of the axle is supported in the pilot bearing in the flywheel. An alternative to splines is a keyway and key, though splines provide a longer fatigue life.
Usage examples of "spline".
Parz that his rendezvous with the Spline fleet was less than five minutes away.
And above the blue arc he saw another Spline ship, reduced by perspective to the size of his fist.
Qax had found out how weak and naive humanity really was, the Spline warships had moved in.
For instance, it had been learned that the Spline vessels employed by the Qax were derived from immense, sea-going creatures with articulated limbs, which had once scoured the depths of some world-girdling ocean.
Then a translator box built somewhere into the fabric of the flitter hissed into life, and Parz knew that the Spline had established a tight laser link.
And he was sure that there were only three or four Qax individuals assigned to the supervision of Earth, orbiting in the warm bellies of their Spline freighters.
It had reached hyperspace within seconds, before the orbiting Spline fleet could react.
Qax boiling with unexpressed rage within its womblike Spline container.
Parz peered into an eyeball that, swiveling, gazed out at him from folds of hardened epidermis, and Parz felt a strange sense of kinship with the Spline, this fellow client creature of the Qax.
Governor inside his Spline flagship, back in Earth orbit a full year ago, the AS treatments had done wonders for some of his more obvious ailments, and it was a blessed relief to climb out of a chair without the accompaniment of stabbing agonies in his back.
The flesh of the Spline peeled back from the wound, bubbling into immense blisters, and Parz was afforded a brief glimpse of space.
The Spline must already be inside the squeezed-vacuum exoticity zone that surrounded the mouth of the wormhole itself, and soon the portal was so close that Jasoft had to press his faceplate against the warm Spline lens to make out its vertices.
The humans of fifteen centuries ago will have no means of defense against the weaponry of the Spline craft.
It felt as if the Spline had jerked through a few hundred yards, as if hauling itself away from some source of pain.
At one point the Spline came within a few dozen yards of brushing the frame itself.