Accelerator

//əkˈsɛl.əˌɹeɪ.tɚ// noun

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    One who, or that which, accelerates.

    "The Second World War is said to have been a great accelerator for many scientific findings."

  2. 2
    a valve that regulates the supply of fuel to the engine wordnet
  3. 3
    A device for causing acceleration.
  4. 4
    a scientific instrument that increases the kinetic energy of charged particles wordnet
  5. 5
    A substance which speeds up chemical reactions.
Show 10 more definitions
  1. 6
    a pedal that controls the throttle valve wordnet
  2. 7
    A pedal causing the vehicle to accelerate when it is pressed.

    "As soon as you get onto the slipway, push the accelerator."

  3. 8
    (chemistry) a substance that initiates or accelerates a chemical reaction without itself being affected wordnet
  4. 9
    A chemical that reduces development time.
  5. 10
    A device that accelerates charged subatomic particles; a particle accelerator.
  6. 11
    A muscle or nerve that speeds the performance of an action.
  7. 12
    An accelerator key.

    "If they had allowed single-character accelerators, Windows wouldn't be able to determine whether the character was input or a shortcut."

  8. 13
    A computer component using dedicated hardware to accelerate the processing and display of graphics.
  9. 14
    A light van to take mails between a post office and a railway station. historical
  10. 15
    A mentoring program for startup companies.

    "In the nineties, before the accelerator era, startups were usually launched by mid-career engineers or repeat entrepreneurs, who sought millions in venture capital and then labored in secret on something complicated that took years to launch."

Etymology

* First attested in 1611. * (motor vehicle): First attested in 1900. * accelerate + -or

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