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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 (gcide)

Inclination \In`cli*na"tion\, n. [L. inclinatio: cf. F.
inclination.]
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1. The act of inclining, or state of being inclined; a
leaning; as, an inclination of the head.
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2. A direction or tendency from the true vertical or
horizontal direction; as, the inclination of a column, or
of a road bed.
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3. A tendency towards another body or point.
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4. (Geom.) The angle made by two lines or planes; as, the
inclination of the plane of the earth's equator to the
plane of the ecliptic is about 23[deg] 28'; the
inclination of two rays of light.
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5. A leaning or tendency of the mind, feelings, preferences,
or will; propensity; a disposition more favorable to one
thing than to another; favor; desire; love.
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A mere inclination to a thing is not properly a
willing of that thing. --South.
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How dost thou find the inclination of the people?
--Shak.
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6. A person or thing loved or admired. --Sir W. Temple.
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7. (Pharm.) Decantation, or tipping for pouring.
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{Inclination compass}, an inclinometer.

{Inclination of an orbit} (Astron.), the angle which the
orbit makes with the ecliptic.

{Inclination of the needle}. See {Dip of the needle}, under
{Dip}.

Syn: Bent; tendency; proneness; bias; proclivity; propensity;
prepossession; predilection; attachment; desire;
affection; love. See {Bent}, and cf. {Disposition}.
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Dip \Dip\, n.
1. The action of dipping or plunging for a moment into a
liquid. "The dip of oars in unison." --Glover.
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2. Inclination downward; direction below a horizontal line;
slope; pitch.
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3. a hollow or depression in a surface, especially in the
ground.
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4. A liquid, as a sauce or gravy, served at table with a
ladle or spoon. [Local, U.S.] --Bartlett.
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5. A dipped candle. [Colloq.] --Marryat.
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6. A gymnastic exercise on the parallel bars in which the
performer, resting on his hands, lets his arms bend and
his body sink until his chin is level with the bars, and
then raises himself by straightening his arms.
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7. In the turpentine industry, the viscid exudation, which is
dipped out from incisions in the trees; as, virgin dip
(the runnings of the first year), yellow dip (the runnings
of subsequent years).
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8. (A["e]ronautics) A sudden drop followed by a climb,
usually to avoid obstacles or as the result of getting
into an airhole.
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9. a liquid, in which objects are soaked by dipping; e.g., a
parasiticide or insecticide solution into which animals
are dipped (see {sheep-dip}).
[PJC]

10. a sauce into which foods are dipped to enhance the
flavor; e. g., an {onion dip} made from sour cream and
dried onions, into which potato chips are dipped.
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11. a {pickpocket}. [slang]
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{Dip of the horizon} (Astron.), the angular depression of the
seen or visible horizon below the true or natural horizon;
the angle at the eye of an observer between a horizontal
line and a tangent drawn from the eye to the surface of
the ocean.

{Dip of the needle}, or {Magnetic dip}, the angle formed, in
a vertical plane, by a freely suspended magnetic needle,
or the line of magnetic force, with a horizontal line; --
called also {inclination}.

{Dip of a stratum} (Geol.), its greatest angle of inclination
to the horizon, or that of a line perpendicular to its
direction or strike; -- called also the {pitch}.
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