tangent

tangent
1. noun /ˈtæn.dʒənt/
a) A straight line touching a curve at a single point without crossing it there.

I believe we went off onto a tangent when we started talking about monkeys on unicycles at his retirement party.

b) In a right triangle, the ratio of the length of the side opposite the angle to the length of the side adjacent to the angle. Symbols: tan, tg <!This definition equivalent to the one above; it does not define a new sense of the word

Jon & Kate Plus 8 is a show based on two facts: (1) Jon and Kate Gosselin have eight children, and (2) the word ‘Kate’ rhymes with the word ‘eight’. One suspects that if Kate were ever to have another child, a shady network executive would urge her to put it in a binbag with a brick and drop it down a well. But this is just a horrifying tangent.

See Also: tangential
2. adjective /ˈtæn.dʒənt/
a) Touching a curve at a single point but not crossing it at that point.
b) Of a topic, only loosely related to a main topic.

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  • tangent — tangent, ente [ tɑ̃ʒɑ̃, ɑ̃t ] adj. • 1683; lat. tangens, entis, de tangere « toucher » 1 ♦ Géom. Qui n a qu un point de contact en un seul point. (1705) Plan tangent à une surface : ensemble des tangentes en un point à cette surface, formant… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Tangent — Tan gent, n. [L. tangens, entis, p. pr. of tangere to touch; akin to Gr. ? having seized: cf. F. tangente. Cf. {Attain}, {Contaminate}, {Contingent}, {Entire}, {Tact}, {Taste}, {Tax}, v. t.] (Geom.) A tangent line curve, or surface; specifically …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • tangent — TANGÉNT, Ă, tangenţi, te, adj., s.f. 1. adj. (Despre drepte) Care atinge o curbă într un singur punct. ♦ (Despre planuri) Care conţine tangente (2) la toate curbele care trec printr un punct al unei suprafeţe, care atinge suprafaţa într un singur …   Dicționar Român

  • tangent — [tan′jənt] adj. [L tangens, prp. of tangere, to touch: see TACT] 1. that touches; touching 2. Geom. touching and not intersecting a curve or curved surface at one and only one point: said of a line or plane n. [< ModL ( linea) tangens, tangent …   English World dictionary

  • Tangent — Tan gent, a. [L. tangens, entis, p. pr.] Touching; touching at a single point; specifically (Geom.) meeting a curve or surface at a point and having at that point the same direction as the curve or surface; said of a straight line, curve, or… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Tangent — Ciudad de los Estados Unidos …   Wikipedia Español

  • tangent — tangent, ente (tan jan, jan t ) adj. 1°   Terme de géométrie. Qui touche une ligne ou une surface en un seul point.    Une ligne droite tangente à une courbe est la limite des positions d une sécante dont un des points d intersection avec la… …   Dictionnaire de la Langue Française d'Émile Littré

  • Tangent — Tangent, OR U.S. city in Oregon Population (2000): 933 Housing Units (2000): 366 Land area (2000): 3.778661 sq. miles (9.786686 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km) Total area (2000): 3.778661 sq. miles (9.786686 sq.… …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

  • Tangent, OR — U.S. city in Oregon Population (2000): 933 Housing Units (2000): 366 Land area (2000): 3.778661 sq. miles (9.786686 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km) Total area (2000): 3.778661 sq. miles (9.786686 sq. km) FIPS code …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

  • tangent — ► NOUN 1) a straight line or plane that touches a curve or curved surface at a point, but if extended does not cross it at that point. 2) Mathematics the trigonometric function that is equal to the ratio of the sides (other than the hypotenuse)… …   English terms dictionary

  • tangent — index close (near), proximate, tangential Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

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