DICT.TW Dictionary Taiwan
Neu·tral a.
1. Not engaged on either side; not taking part with or assisting either of two or more contending parties; neuter; indifferent.
The heart can not possibly remain neutral, but constantly takes part one way or the other. --Shaftesbury.
2. Neither good nor bad; of medium quality; middling; not decided or pronounced.
Some things good, and some things ill, do seem,
And neutral some, in her fantastic eye. --Sir J. Davies.
3. Biol. Neuter. See Neuter, a., 3.
4. Chem. Having neither acid nor basic properties; unable to turn red litmus blue or blue litmus red; -- said of certain salts or other compounds. Contrasted with acid, and alkaline.
Neutral axis, Neutral surface Mech., that line or plane, in a beam under transverse pressure, at which the fibers are neither stretched nor compressed, or where the longitudinal stress is zero. See Axis.
Neutral equilibrium Mech., the kind of equilibrium of a body so placed that when moved slighty it neither tends to return to its former position not depart more widely from it, as a perfect sphere or cylinder on a horizontal plane.
Neutral salt Chem., a salt formed by the complete replacement of the hydrogen in an acid or base; in the former case by a positive or basic, in the latter by a negative or acid, element or radical.
Neutral tint, a bluish gray pigment, used in water colors, made by mixing indigo or other blue some warm color. the shades vary greatly.
Neutral vowel, the vowel element having an obscure and indefinite quality, such as is commonly taken by the vowel in many unaccented syllables. It is regarded by some as identical with the ŭ in up, and is called also the natural vowel, as unformed by art and effort; it is also called the indefinite vowel. It is symbolized in some phonetic alphabets by the schwa (
Sta·ble a.
1. Firmly established; not easily moved, shaken, or overthrown; fixed; as, a stable government.
In this region of chance, . . . where nothing is stable. --Rogers.
2. Steady in purpose; constant; firm in resolution; not easily diverted from a purpose; not fickle or wavering; as, a man of stable character.
And to her husband ever meek and stable. --Chaucer.
3. Durable; not subject to overthrow or change; firm; as, a stable foundation; a stable position.
4. Physics So placed as to resist forces tending to cause motion; of such structure as to resist distortion or molecular or chemical disturbance; -- said of any body or substance.
Stable equilibrium Mech., the kind of equilibrium of a body so placed that if disturbed it returns to its former position, as in the case when the center of gravity is below the point or axis of support; -- opposed to unstable equilibrium, in which the body if disturbed does not tend to return to its former position, but to move farther away from it, as in the case of a body supported at a point below the center of gravity. Cf. Neutral equilibrium, under Neutral.
Syn: -- Fixed; steady; constant; abiding; strong; durable; firm.