precession

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pre·ces·sion / prəˈseshən/ • n. Physics the slow movement of the axis of a spinning body around another axis due to a torque (such as gravitational influence) acting to change the direction of the first axis. It is seen in the circle slowly traced out by the pole of a spinning gyroscope.DERIVATIVES: pre·cess / prēˈses; ˈprēˌses/ v.pre·ces·sion·al / priˈseshənl/ adj.

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