Moment — Defs

01 n. A minute portion of time; a point of time; an instant; as, at that very moment.

1.
A minute portion of time; a point of time; an instant; as, at that very moment.
“In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye.” — 1 Cor. xv. 52.
2.
Impulsive power; force; momentum.
“The moments or quantities of motion in bodies.” — Berkley.

“Touch, with lightest moment of impulse, His free will.” — Milton.
3.
Importance, as in influence or effect; consequence; weight or value; consideration.
“Matters of great moment.” — Shak.

“It is an abstruse speculation, but also of far less moment and consequence of us than the others.” — Bentley.
4.
An essential element; a deciding point, fact, or consideration; an essential or influential circumstance.
5.
An infinitesimal change in a varying quantity; an increment or decrement.(Math.) [Obs.]
6.
Tendency, or measure of tendency, to produce motion, esp. motion about a fixed point or axis.(Mech.)

Phrases & compounds

Moment of a couple — the product of either of its forces into the perpendicular distance between them.

Moment of a force — With respect to a point, the product of the intensity of the force into the perpendicular distance from the point to the line of direction of the force

Moment of inertia — of a rotating body, the sum of the mass of each particle of matter of the body into the square of its distance from the axis of rotation; -- called also moment of rotation and moment of the mass.

Statical moment — the product of a force into its leverage; the same as moment of a force with respect to a point, line, etc.

Virtual moment — See under Virtual.

Syn. Instant; twinkling; consequence; weight; force; value; consideration; signification; avail.