fluid
n
1 a substance, such as a liquid or gas, that can flow, has no fixed shape, and offers little resistance to an external stress
adj
2 capable of flowing and easily changing shape
3 of, concerned with, or using a fluid or fluids
4 constantly changing or apt to change
5 smooth in shape or movement; flowing (C15: from Latin fluidus, from fluere to flow) ♦
fluidal adj ♦
fluidness n ♦
fluidly, fluidally adv
amber fluid
n (Austral)
slang beer
amniotic fluid
n the fluid surrounding the fetus in the womb
brake fluid
n an oily liquid used to transmit pressure in a hydraulic brake or clutch system
cerebrospinal fluid
n the clear colourless fluid in the spaces inside and around the spinal cord and brain, (Abbrev.)
CSF
computational fluid dynamics
n functioning as sing the prediction of the effects of fluid motion past objects by numerical methods rather than model experiments
fluid dram
n another name for →
drachm
fluid drive
n a type of coupling for transmitting power from the engine of a motor vehicle to the transmission, using a torque converter, (Also called)
fluid coupling, fluid clutch, fluid flywheel
fluid lubrication
n (Engineering) lubrication in which bearing surfaces are separated by an oil film sustained by the motion of the parts
fluid mechanics
n functioning as sing the study of the mechanical and flow properties of fluids, esp. as they apply to practical engineering, (Also called)
hydraulics See also →
hydrodynamics →
hydrostatics →
hydrokinetics
fluid ounce
n a unit of capacity equal to the volume of one avoirdupois ounce of distilled water at 62°F: there are twenty fluid ounces in an Imperial pint and sixteen in a U.S. pint
fluid pressure
n the pressure exerted by a fluid at any point inside it. The difference of pressure between two levels is determined by the product of the difference of height, the density, and the acceleration of free fall
serous fluid
n a thin watery fluid found in many body cavities, esp. those lined with serous membrane
spermatic fluid
n another name for →
semen