accelerator

accelerator
1. Anything that increases rapidity of action or function. 2. In physiology, a nerve, muscle, or substance that quickens movement or response. 3. A catalytic agent used to hasten a chemical reaction. SYN: accelerant. 4. In nuclear physics, a device that accelerates charged particles ( e.g., protons) to high speed in order to produce nuclear reactions in a target, for the study of subatomic structure or for the production of radionuclides or for radiation therapy. [L. accelerans, pres. p. of ac-celero, to hasten, fr. celer, swift]
- linear a. (LINAC) a device imparting high velocity and energy to atomic and subatomic particles; an important device for radiation therapy.
- proserum prothrombin conversion a. (PPCA) obsolete term for factor VIII.
- prothrombin a. obsolete term for factor V.
- serum a. obsolete term for factor VII.
- serum prothrombin conversion a. (SPCA) obsolete term for factor VII.

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ac·cel·er·a·tor ik-'sel-ə-.rāt-ər, ak- n one that accelerates: as
a) a muscle or nerve that speeds the performance of an action <a cardiac \accelerator>
b) a substance that speeds a chemical reaction
c) an apparatus for imparting high velocities to charged particles (as electrons)

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ac·cel·er·a·tor (ak-selґər-a″tər) [L. “hastener”] 1. an agent or apparatus that is used to increase the rate at which an object proceeds or a substance acts or at which some reaction occurs. 2. any nerve or muscle which hastens the performance of a function. 3. any of a group of chemicals used in the vulcanization of rubber or other polymerization reactions; they frequently cause dermatitis in workers.

Medical dictionary. 2011.

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  • Accelerator — may mean:*Accelerator (car) (also gas pedal ), that controls the engine speed of an automobile *accelerator (chemistry), a substance that increases the rate of a chemical reaction *Accelerator (computing) to speed a function in computer hardware… …   Wikipedia

  • accelerator — ac‧cel‧e‧ra‧tor [əkˈseləreɪtə ǁ ər] noun [singular] ECONOMICS 1. the principle that when demand for goods rises and falls, investment rises and falls by even larger amounts 2. when a government uses the accelerator, it encourages demand as a way… …   Financial and business terms

  • accelerator — ACCELERATÓR, OÁRE, acceleratori, oare, adj. subst. 1. adj. Care accelerează. 2. s.n. Mecanism care permite accelerarea turaţiilor unui motor; pedală care comandă acest mecanism. ♦ Instalaţie pentru accelerarea microparticulelor. 3. s.m., adj.… …   Dicționar Român

  • Accelerator — Ac*cel er*a tor, n. One who, or that which, accelerates. Also as an adj.; as, accelerator nerves. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • accelerator — (n.) 1610s, from L. accelerator, agent noun from accelerare (see ACCELERATE (Cf. accelerate)). Motor vehicle sense is from 1900 …   Etymology dictionary

  • accelerator — [ak sel′ər āt΄ər, ak sel′ə rāt΄ər; əksel′ər āt΄ər, əksel′ə rāt΄ər] n. 1. a person or thing that accelerates or increases the speed of something; specif., a) a device, such as the foot throttle of an automobile, for increasing the speed of a… …   English World dictionary

  • accelerator — ► NOUN 1) a foot pedal which controls the speed of a vehicle s engine. 2) Physics an apparatus for accelerating charged particles to high velocities. 3) a substance that speeds up a chemical process …   English terms dictionary

  • accelerator — /ak sel euh ray teuhr/, n. 1. a person or thing that accelerates. 2. Auto. a device, usually operated by the foot, for controlling the speed of an engine. 3. Brit. any two or three wheeled motor vehicle, as a motorcycle or motor scooter. 4.… …   Universalium

  • accelerator — I (New American Roget s College Thesaurus) n. gas pedal, throttle. See vehicle, velocity. II (Roget s IV) n. Syn. atomic accelerator, particle accelerator, atom smasher. Types of (particle) accelerators include: Bevatron, Cosmotron, cyclotron,… …   English dictionary for students

  • accelerator — [1] In automobiles, this is the gas pedal which is attached by linkage to the throttle in the carburetor or to the fuel injection system. It regulates the amount of fuel which is sent to the engine. In motorcycles, the accelerator is located on… …   Dictionary of automotive terms

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