Word Direct Answers

What does "inclination" mean?

Inclination: A direction or tendency from the true vertical or horizontal direction; as, the inclination of a column, or of a road bed.

Additional senses

  1. 2.A tendency towards another body or point 4. (Geom.) The angle made by two lines or planes; as, the inclination of the plane of the earth's equator to the plane of the ecliptic is about 23º 28'; the inclination of two rays of light.
  2. 3.A leaning or tendency of the mind, feelings, preferences, or will; propensity; a disposition more favorable to one thing than to another; favor; desire; love. A mere inclination to a thing is not properly a willing of that thing. South. How dost thou find the inclination of the people Shak.
  3. 4.A person or thing loved or admired. Sir W. Temple.
  4. 5.(Pharm.) Decantation, or tipping for pouring. Inclination compass, an inclinometer. -- Inclination of an orbit (Astron.), the angle which the orbit makes the ecliptic. -- Inclination of the needle. See Dip of the needle, under Dip. See Bent, and cf. Disposition.

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