A hinged catch that fits into a notch of a ratchet to move a wheel forward or prevent it from moving backward.
1 When these crystals are warmed, the detent is lifted, and an outflow of light immediately begins.
2 Arnold appeared entirely happy with his pivoted detent escapement-untilhe heard about Earnshaw's spring detent escapement in 1782.
3 The counterpoise was, of course, now aloft, and was so maintained by a detent provided with a trigger.
4 In their case the potential has never become actual, the light is, in fact, held back by a molecular detent .
5 This arm striking against the ratchet detent releases the balance weight, and the belt is at once brought on to the loose pulley.
6 As we are all aware, the detent escapement is used in fine pocket watches, still the general feeling of manufacturers is not favorable to it.
7 Undoubtedly "the detent , " or, as it is usually termed, "the chronometer escapement," is the most perfect of any of our portable time measurers.
8 I ran my finger along the regulator, and found detents for the different power levels.
9 What a rush it was to feel the buildup of thrust, just like jamming the throttles of a fighter into the afterburner detents .
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