collimate

2 definitions found

collimate - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Collimate \Col"li*mate\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Collimated; p. p.
     & vb. n. Collimating.] [See Collimation.] (Physics &
     Astron.)
     To render parallel to a certain line or direction; to bring
     into the same line, as the axes of telescopes, etc.; to
     render parallel, as rays of light.
     [1913 Webster]
  
     Collimating eyepiece, an eyepiece with a diagonal reflector
        for illumination, used to determine the error of
        collimation in a transit instrument by observing the image
        of a cross wire reflected from mercury, and comparing its
        position in the field with that of the same wire seen
        directly.
  
     Collimating lens (Optics), a lens used for producing
        parallel rays of light.
        [1913 Webster]

collimate - WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005) :

  collimate
      v 1: make or place parallel to something; "They paralleled the
           ditch to the highway" [syn: parallel, collimate]
      2: adjust the line of sight of (an optical instrument)