Curvature \Cur"va*ture\ (k?r"v?-t?r; 135), n. [L. curvatura. See
   Curvate.]
   1. The act of curving, or the state of being bent or curved;
      a curving or bending, normal or abnormal, as of a line or
      surface from a rectilinear direction; a bend; a curve.
      --Cowper.
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            The elegant curvature of their fronds. --Darwin.
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   2. (Math.) The amount of degree of bending of a mathematical
      curve, or the tendency at any point to depart from a
      tangent drawn to the curve at that point.
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   Aberrancy of curvature (Geom.), the deviation of a curve
      from a circular form.

   Absolute curvature. See under Absolute.

   Angle of curvature (Geom.), one that expresses the amount
      of curvature of a curve.

   Chord of curvature. See under Chord.

   Circle of curvature. See Osculating circle of a curve,
      under Circle.

   Curvature of the spine (Med.), an abnormal curving of the
      spine, especially in a lateral direction.

   Radius of curvature, the radius of the circle of curvature,
      or osculatory circle, at any point of a curve.
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Absolute \Ab"so*lute\, a. [L. absolutus, p. p. of absolvere: cf.
   F. absolu. See Absolve.]
   1. Loosed from any limitation or condition; uncontrolled;
      unrestricted; unconditional; as, absolute authority,
      monarchy, sovereignty, an absolute promise or command;
      absolute power; an absolute monarch.
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   2. Complete in itself; perfect; consummate; faultless; as,
      absolute perfection; absolute beauty.
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            So absolute she seems,
            And in herself complete.              --Milton.
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   3. Viewed apart from modifying influences or without
      comparison with other objects; actual; real; -- opposed to
      relative and comparative; as, absolute motion;
      absolute time or space.
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   Note: Absolute rights and duties are such as pertain to man
         in a state of nature as contradistinguished from
         relative rights and duties, or such as pertain to him
         in his social relations.
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   4. Loosed from, or unconnected by, dependence on any other
      being; self-existent; self-sufficing.
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   Note: In this sense God is called the Absolute by the Theist.
         The term is also applied by the Pantheist to the
         universe, or the total of all existence, as only
         capable of relations in its parts to each other and to
         the whole, and as dependent for its existence and its
         phenomena on its mutually depending forces and their
         laws.
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   5. Capable of being thought or conceived by itself alone;
      unconditioned; non-relative.
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   Note: It is in dispute among philosopher whether the term, in
         this sense, is not applied to a mere logical fiction or
         abstraction, or whether the absolute, as thus defined,
         can be known, as a reality, by the human intellect.
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               To Cusa we can indeed articulately trace, word
               and thing, the recent philosophy of the absolute.
                                                  --Sir W.
                                                  Hamilton.
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   6. Positive; clear; certain; not doubtful. [R.]
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            I am absolute 't was very Cloten.     --Shak.
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   7. Authoritative; peremptory. [R.]
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            The peddler stopped, and tapped her on the head,
            With absolute forefinger, brown and ringed. --Mrs.
                                                  Browning.
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   8. (Chem.) Pure; unmixed; as, absolute alcohol.
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   9. (Gram.) Not immediately dependent on the other parts of
      the sentence in government; as, the case absolute. See
      Ablative absolute, under Ablative.
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   Absolute curvature (Geom.), that curvature of a curve of
      double curvature, which is measured in the osculating
      plane of the curve.

   Absolute equation (Astron.), the sum of the optic and
      eccentric equations.

   Absolute space (Physics), space considered without relation
      to material limits or objects.

   Absolute terms. (Alg.), such as are known, or which do not
      contain the unknown quantity. --Davies & Peck.

   Absolute temperature (Physics), the temperature as measured
      on a scale determined by certain general thermo-dynamic
      principles, and reckoned from the absolute zero.

   Absolute zero (Physics), the be ginning, or zero point, in
      the scale of absolute temperature. It is equivalent to
      -273[deg] centigrade or -459.4[deg] Fahrenheit.
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   Syn: Positive; peremptory; certain; unconditional; unlimited;
        unrestricted; unqualified; arbitrary; despotic;
        autocratic.
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