rotation
    n 1: the act of rotating as if on an axis; "the rotation of the
         dancer kept time with the music" [syn: rotation, rotary
         motion]
    2: (mathematics) a transformation in which the coordinate axes
       are rotated by a fixed angle about the origin
    3: a single complete turn (axial or orbital); "the plane made
       three rotations before it crashed"; "the revolution of the
       earth about the sun takes one year" [syn: rotation,
       revolution, gyration]
    4: a planned recurrent sequence (of crops or personnel etc.);
       "crop rotation makes a balanced demand on the fertility of
       the soil"; "the manager had only four starting pitchers in
       his rotation"

Rotation \Ro*ta"tion\, n. [L. rotatio: cf. F. rotation.]
   1. The act of turning, as a wheel or a solid body on its
      axis, as distinguished from the progressive motion of a
      revolving round another body or a distant point; thus, the
      daily turning of the earth on its axis is a rotation; its
      annual motion round the sun is a revolution.
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   2. Any return or succesion in a series.
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   Moment of rotation. See Moment of inertia, under
      Moment.

   Rotation in office, the practice of changing public
      officers at frequent intervals by discharges and
      substitutions.

   Rotation of crops, the practices of cultivating an orderly
      succession of different crops on the same land.
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Rotation \Ro*ta"tion\, a.
   Pertaining to, or resulting from, rotation; of the nature of,
   or characterized by, rotation; as, rotational velocity.
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