|
Search over 100 encyclopedias and dictionaries: |
Research categories | Follow us on Twitter |
Research categories
View all topics in the newsView all reference sources at Encyclopedia.com |
|||
compression
compression external stress applied to an object or substance, tending to cause a decrease in volume (see pressure ). Gases can be compressed easily, solids and liquids to a very small degree if at all. Water, for example, is practically incompressible, thus making it especially useful for hydraulic machines . According to the kinetic-molecular theory of gases , when the molecules of a gas are brought close enough together by compression, the gas (under certain conditions of temperature) undergoes liquefaction . This principle is applied commercially to several gases, including liquid oxygen and the so-called bottled gas (a mixture of hydrocarbons) used as a fuel. Boyle's law deals with the decrease in the volume of a gas in relation to the increase of pressure upon it (see gas laws ). The ability or the degree to which an internal-combustion engine reduces the volume of its fuel mixture preparatory to firing is called its compression. Also, a region of high pressure in a fluid is called a compression; thus sound waves are said to propagate at compressions and rarefactions (regions of low pressure) of their medium, such as air. |
|
|
Cite this article
"compression." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Encyclopedia.com. 26 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "compression." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Encyclopedia.com. (May 26, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-compression.html "compression." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Retrieved May 26, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-compression.html |
|
compress
com·press • v. / kəmˈpres/ [tr.] (often be compressed) flatten by pressure; squeeze; press. ∎ [intr.] be squeezed or pressed together or into a smaller space: the land is sinking as the soil compresses. ∎ squeeze or press (two things) together: Violet compressed her lips together grimly. ∎ express in a shorter form; abridge. ∎ Comput. alter the form of (data) to reduce the amount of storage necessary. ∎ [as adj.] (compressed) chiefly Biol. having a narrow shape as if flattened, esp. sideways: most sea snakes have a compressed tail. • n. / ˈkämˌpres/ a pad of absorbent material pressed onto part of the body to relieve inflammation or stop bleeding: a cold compress. DERIVATIVES: com·press·i·bil·i·ty / kəmˌpresəˈbilitē/ n. com·press·i·ble adj. com·pres·sive / -ˈpresiv/ adj. |
|
|
Cite this article
"compress." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 26 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "compress." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (May 26, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-compress.html "compress." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved May 26, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-compress.html |
|
compression
compression The process of reducing the size of a file before sending it over a transmission line. Many transmission media on the Internet are still slow, and since compression algorithms are often efficient, large gains in transmission time can be achieved by a good compression program. When a file has been sent, a decompression program at its destination recovers the original file. Compression schemes are categorized into LOSSY COMPRESSION SCHEMES and LOSSLESS COMPRESSION SCHEMES. The former result in some of the information in a compressed file being lost; the latter results in no loss. Lossy compression schemes are used in applications where some small loss of data can be tolerated, for example when the file that is compressed contains graphical images which, when decompressed, are not discernibly different from the original, uncompressed image.
|
|
|
Cite this article
DARREL INCE. "compression." A Dictionary of the Internet. 2001. Encyclopedia.com. 26 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. DARREL INCE. "compression." A Dictionary of the Internet. 2001. Encyclopedia.com. (May 26, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O12-compression.html DARREL INCE. "compression." A Dictionary of the Internet. 2001. Retrieved May 26, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O12-compression.html |
|
compression
com·pres·sion / kəmˈpreshən/ • n. the action of compressing or being compressed. ∎ the reduction in volume (causing an increase in pressure) of the fuel mixture in an internal combustion engine before ignition. DERIVATIVES: com·pres·sion·al / -shənl/ adj. |
|
|
Cite this article
"compression." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 26 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "compression." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (May 26, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-compression.html "compression." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved May 26, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-compression.html |
|
compression
compression Reduction of the space needed to define an entity using one of the many techniques available. The compression factor is the ratio of the storage size of an uncompressed representation to that of the compressed representation. See also data compression, image compression, speech compression.
|
|
|
Cite this article
JOHN DAINTITH. "compression." A Dictionary of Computing. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. 26 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. JOHN DAINTITH. "compression." A Dictionary of Computing. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. (May 26, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O11-compression.html JOHN DAINTITH. "compression." A Dictionary of Computing. 2004. Retrieved May 26, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O11-compression.html |
|
compress
|
|
|
Cite this article
T. F. HOAD. "compress." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 26 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. T. F. HOAD. "compress." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (May 26, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-compress.html T. F. HOAD. "compress." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved May 26, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-compress.html |
|
compression
compression (kŏm-presh-ŏn) n. the state in which an organ, tissue, or part is subject to pressure. cerebral c. pressure on brain tissue from a cerebral tumour, intracranial haematoma, etc. c. venography see venography.
|
|
|
Cite this article
"compression." A Dictionary of Nursing. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. 26 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "compression." A Dictionary of Nursing. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. (May 26, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O62-compression.html "compression." A Dictionary of Nursing. 2008. Retrieved May 26, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O62-compression.html |
|
compress
compress (kom-press) n. a pad of material soaked in hot or cold water and applied to an injured part of the body to relieve the pain of inflammation.
|
|
|
Cite this article
"compress." A Dictionary of Nursing. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. 26 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "compress." A Dictionary of Nursing. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. (May 26, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O62-compress.html "compress." A Dictionary of Nursing. 2008. Retrieved May 26, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O62-compress.html |
|
compress
compress
•acquiesce, address, assess, Bess, bless, bouillabaisse, caress, cess, chess, coalesce, compress, confess, convalesce, cress, deliquesce, digress, dress, duchesse, duress, effervesce, effloresce, evanesce, excess, express, fess, finesse, fluoresce, guess, Hesse, impress, incandesce, intumesce, jess, largesse, less, manageress, mess, ness, noblesse, obsess, oppress, outguess, phosphoresce, politesse, possess, press, priestess, princess, process, profess, progress, prophetess, regress, retrogress, stress, success, suppress, tendresse, top-dress, transgress, tress, tristesse, underdress, vicomtesse, yes
•Jewess • shepherdess • Borges
•battledress • Mudéjares • headdress
•protectress • egress • ingress
•minidress • nightdress • congress
•sundress • procuress • murderess
•letterpress • watercress • shirtdress
•access
|
|
|
Cite this article
"compress." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. 26 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "compress." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. (May 26, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-compress.html "compress." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Retrieved May 26, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-compress.html |
|
Search over 100 encyclopedias and dictionaries:
HighBeam™ Research, Inc. © Copyright 2012. All rights reserved.
The Encyclopedia.com advertising network includes:
