gimbal
/ˈd͡ʒɪmbəl/
Word Rarity
Very rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.49 in modern English
11
Scrabble Score
6
Letters
2
Syllables
6
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
A device for suspending something, such as a ship's compass, so that it will remain level when its support is tipped.
verb
To move a reaction engine about on a gimbal so as to obtain pitching and yawing correction moments.
Transitive verb
Example Sentences
- "The lamp wriggled in its gimbals, the barometer swung in circles, the table altered its slant every moment […]"
- "1934, A. E. W. Mason, “The Chronometer,” Chapter II, in Dilemmas, London: Hodder & Stoughton, He lifted the chronometer off the gimbals on which it was slung in the mahogany case and showed the number engraved upon the bottom."
- "1918, Richard Dehan (Clotilde Graves), That Which Hath Wings, New York: G.P. Putnam’s Sons, Chapter 32, […] he conned his course in masterly fashion by aid of the roller-map, protected by its transparent, rainproof casing, or the compass, clock, altimeter, and other instruments gimballed in the wooden frame in front of the pilot’s seat."
Etymology
Origin
- Source language: Old French