aberration

Definitions

1. 1.A partial alienation of reason. "Occasional aberrations of intellect." Lingard. Whims, which at first are the aberrations of a single brain, pass with heat into epidemic form. I. Taylor.
2. 2.(Astron.) A small periodical change of position in the stars and other heavenly bodies, due to the combined effect of the motion of light and the motion of the observer; called annual aberration, when the observer's motion is that of the earth in its orbit, and dairy or diurnal aberration, when of the earth on its axis; amounting when greatest, in the former case, to 20.4'', and in the latter, to 0.3''. Planetary aberration is that due to the motion of light and the motion of the planet relative to the earth.
3. 3.(Opt.) The convergence to different foci, by a lens or mirror, of rays of light emanating from one and the same point, or the deviation of such rays from a single focus; called spherical aberration, when due to the spherical form of the lens or mirror, such form giving different foci for central and marginal rays; and chromatic aberration, when due to different refrangibilities of the colored rays of the spectrum, those of each color having a distinct focus.
4. 4.(Physiol.) The passage of blood or other fluid into parts not appropriate for it.
5. 5.(Law) The producing of an unintended effect by the glancing of an instrument, as when a shot intended for A glances and strikes B. See Insanity.

Source: Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913 edition (public domain, via GCIDE / Project Gutenberg).

Synonyms

Related questions

• What does "aberration" mean?

Reverse-dictionary questions

Definition-first questions whose answer is aberration.

• What is a partial alienation of reason. "Occasional aberrations of intellect." Lingard. Whims, which at first are the aberrations of a single brain, pass with heat into epidemic form. I. Taylor called?
• What is the passage of blood or other fluid into parts not appropriate for it called?
• What is the producing of an unintended effect by the glancing of an instrument, as when a shot intended for A glances and strikes B. See Insanity called?