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Elastic
Definitions
- 1 Capable of stretching; particularly, capable of stretching so as to return to an original shape or size when force is released.
"The rope is somewhat elastic, so expect it to give when you pull on it."
- 2 Made of elastic.
"elastic band"
- 3 Of clothing, elasticated.
- 4 Sensitive to changes in price.
"Demand for entertainment is more elastic than demand for energy."
- 5 springy; bouncy; vivacious
"He could see that she was tastefully, though not richly, dressed, and that she walked with an elastic step that revealed a light heart and the vigor of perfect health. Her face, of course, he could not analyze, since he had caught only the one brief but convincing glimpse of it."
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- 6 Pervasive, all-encompassing.
"It was now about six o'clock, and that first freshness was on the air, which is to the day what youth is to life,—so light, so elastic, so sweet, and so brief:..."
- 7 Able to return quickly to a former state or condition, after being depressed or overtaxed; having power to recover easily from shocks and trials.
"elastic spirits; an elastic constitution"
- 1 capable of resuming original shape after stretching or compression; springy wordnet
- 2 able to adjust readily to different conditions wordnet
- 1 An elastic material used in clothing, particularly in waistbands and cuffs. uncountable
"running shorts use elastic to eliminate the need for a belt"
- 2 a fabric made of yarns containing an elastic material wordnet
- 3 An elastic band. Canada, countable
- 4 a narrow band of elastic rubber used to hold things (such as papers) together wordnet
- 5 Specifically, a hair tie. Northeastern, US, countable, uncountable
Etymology
From French élastique, from New Latin elasticus (“elastic”), from Ancient Greek ἐλαστός (elastós), alternative form of ἐλατός (elatós, “ductile”) (cf. ἐλατήρ (elatḗr, “a driver, hurler”)), from ἐλαύνω (elaúnō, “to drive, set in motion, push, strike, beat out”).
From French élastique, from New Latin elasticus (“elastic”), from Ancient Greek ἐλαστός (elastós), alternative form of ἐλατός (elatós, “ductile”) (cf. ἐλατήρ (elatḗr, “a driver, hurler”)), from ἐλαύνω (elaúnō, “to drive, set in motion, push, strike, beat out”).
See also for "elastic"
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