displacement

Displacement is defined as the act of moving someone or something from one position to another or the measurement of the volume replaced by something else.

(noun)

  1. An example of displacement is when war requires people to move from their homes due to the danger.
  2. An example of displacement is the weight of the water that is replaced by an ocean liner.

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See displacement in Webster's New World College Dictionary

noun

  1. a displacing or being displaced
    1. the weight or volume of a fluid displaced by a floating object; specif., the weight of water, in long tons, displaced by a ship
    2. the volume displaced by a stroke of a piston
  2. the difference between a later position of a thing and its original position
  3. Geol. the relative movement of rock strata on the two sides of a fault
  4. Psychiatry a defense mechanism in which an emotion or idea, usually repressed, is transferred to another, more acceptable object

See displacement in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun
  1. a. The act of displacing.
    b. The condition of having been displaced.
  2. Chemistry A reaction in which an atom, radical, or molecule replaces another in a compound.
  3. Physics
    a. A vector or the magnitude of a vector from the initial position to a subsequent position assumed by a body.
    b. The weight or volume of a fluid displaced by a floating body, used especially as a measurement of the weight or bulk of ships.
  4. The volume displaced by a single stroke of a piston in an engine or pump.
  5. Geology
    a. The relative movement between the two sides of a fault.
    b. The distance between the two sides of a fault. Also called dislocation.
  6. Psychiatry A psychological defense mechanism in which there is an unconscious shift of emotions, affect, or desires from the original object to a more acceptable or immediate substitute.

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