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It is not only important, but, in a degree necessary, that the people of this country, should have an American Dictionary of the English language; for, although the body of the language is the same as in England, and it is desirable to perpetuate that sameness, yet some differences must exist. Language is the expression of ideas; and if the people of one country cannot preserve an identity of ideas, they cannot retain an identity of language. |
ACCELERA'TION, n. The act of increasing velocity or progress; the state of being quickened in motion or action. Accelerated motion in mechanics and physics, is that which continually receives accessions of velocity; as, a falling body moves towards the earth with an acceleration of velocity. It is the opposite of retardation.
The act
of accelerating, or the state of being accelerated; increase of motion or
action; as, a falling body moves toward the earth with an
acceleration of velocity; -- opposed to
retardation.
A period of social improvement, or of intellectual
advancement, contains within itself a principle of acceleration. (Astr. *** Physics.) Acceleration of the moon, the increase of the moon's mean motion in its orbit, in consequence of which its period of revolution is now shorter than in ancient times. - - Acceleration and retardation of the tides. See Priming of the tides, under Priming. -- Diurnal acceleration of the fixed stars, the amount by which their apparent diurnal motion exceeds that of the sun, in consequence of which they daily come to the meridian of any place about three minutes fifty-six seconds of solar time earlier than on the day preceding. -- Acceleration of the planets, the increasing velocity of their motion, in proceeding from the apogee to the perigee of their orbits. | ||||||||