gravity
/ˈɡravɪti
/noun [mass noun]
1 Physics The force that attracts a body towards the centre of the earth, or towards any other physical body having mass.Certainly, every type of matter we have ever encountered feels the attractive force of gravity....
- Physics has found only four forces in nature: gravity, electromagnetism, weak nuclear, and strong nuclear.
- Objects exert a force of gravity because they have mass and the more mass they have the stronger the force of gravity they exert.
Synonyms
attraction, attracting force, downward force, pull, weight, heaviness
1.1The degree of intensity of gravity, measured by acceleration.Specific gravity was measured by a harmonic oscillation method on the automated workstation....
- The speed of gravity has been measured for the first time, revealing that it does indeed travel at the speed of light.
- Although these hidden dimensions remain too small to be measured, gravity can travel in between them.
2Extreme importance; seriousness: crimes of the utmost gravity...
- Naturally this only occurs in situations of extreme gravity or urgency threatening irreparable damage to persons.
- They realized the full gravity of the situation when they scanned, what moments before, had been a room full of Sailors eating lunch.
- This is a moment of utmost gravity for the world.
Synonyms
seriousness, importance, profundity, significance, momentousness, moment, weightiness, weight, consequence, magnitude;
criticalness, acuteness, cruciality;
urgency, exigence;
direness, terribleness, awfulness, dreadfulness;
precariousness, perilousness, peril, hazard, danger, threat, menace, risk
informal hairiness, iffiness, chanciness
British informal dodginess
formal egregiousness
3Solemnity of manner: has the poet ever spoken with greater eloquence or gravity?...
- An air of gravity and solemnity pervaded the president's remarks as a stunned nation listened by radio.
- He exuded dignity and gravity and he was courteous to counsel and witnesses alike.
- He played this part with gravity and dignity, and in an understated style which set off the flamboyant persona of Henry VIII.
Synonyms
solemnity, seriousness, sombreness, sobriety, soberness, severity;
unsmilingness, stone-facedness, long-facedness, grim-facedness, grimness, humourlessness, gloominess;
preoccupation, thoughtfulness, dignity, staidness, dourness, aloofness
Origin
Late 15th century (in sense 2): from Old French, or from Latin gravitas 'weight, seriousness', from gravis 'heavy'. sense 1 dates from the 17th century.
guru from early 17th century:
This is from Hindi and Punjabi, from Sanskrit guru ‘weighty, grave, dignified’ (comparable with Latin gravis ‘heavy’ source of gravity (Late Middle English)): this led to ‘elder, teacher’.