detent

(dē′tent′; also di tent′)

noun

Mech. a part that stops or releases a movement, as a catch for controlling the striking of a clock

Origin: Fr détente < détendre, to relax, unbend < dé- (L dis-), from + tendre, to stretch: see tend

See detent in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun

A catch or lever that locks the movement of one part of a mechanism.

Origin:

Origin: French détente, a loosening

Origin: , from Old French destente

Origin: , from

Origin: feminine past participle of destendre, to release

Origin: : des-, de-

Origin: + tendre, to stretch (from Latin tendere; see ten- in Indo-European roots)

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