reversible process

3 definitions found

reversible process - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Process \Proc"ess\, n. [F. proc[`e]s, L. processus. See
     Proceed.]
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     1. The act of proceeding; continued forward movement;
        procedure; progress; advance. "Long process of time."
        --Milton.
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              The thoughts of men are widened with the process of
              the suns.                             --Tennyson.
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     2. A series of actions, motions, or occurrences; progressive
        act or transaction; continuous operation; normal or actual
        course or procedure; regular proceeding; as, the process
        of vegetation or decomposition; a chemical process;
        processes of nature.
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              Tell her the process of Antonio's end. --Shak.
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     3. A statement of events; a narrative. [Obs.] --Chaucer.
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     4. (Anat. & Zool.) Any marked prominence or projecting part,
        especially of a bone; anapophysis.
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     5. (Law) The whole course of proceedings in a cause real or
        personal, civil or criminal, from the beginning to the end
        of the suit; strictly, the means used for bringing the
        defendant into court to answer to the action; -- a generic
        term for writs of the class called judicial.
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     Deacon's process [from H. Deacon, who introduced it]
        (Chem.), a method of obtaining chlorine gas by passing
        hydrochloric acid gas over heated slag which has been
        previously saturated with a solution of some metallic
        salt, as sulphate of copper.
  
     Final process (Practice), a writ of execution in an action
        at law. --Burrill.
  
     In process, in the condition of advance, accomplishment,
        transaction, or the like; begun, and not completed.
  
     Jury process (Law), the process by which a jury is summoned
        in a cause, and by which their attendance is enforced.
        --Burrill.
  
     Leblanc's process (Chem.), the process of manufacturing
        soda by treating salt with sulphuric acid, reducing the
        sodium sulphate so formed to sodium sulphide by roasting
        with charcoal, and converting the sodium sulphide to
        sodium carbonate by roasting with lime.
  
     Mesne process. See under Mesne.
  
     Process milling, the process of high milling for grinding
        flour. See under Milling.
  
     Reversible process (Thermodynamics), any process consisting
        of a cycle of operations such that the different
        operations of the cycle can be performed in reverse order
        with a reversal of their effects.
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  Reversible \Re*vers"i*ble\, a. [Cf. F. r['e]versible revertible,
     reversionary.]
     1. Capable of being reversed; as, a chair or seat having a
        reversible back; a reversible judgment or sentence.
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     2. Hence, having a pattern or finished surface on both sides,
        so that either may be used; -- said of fabrics.
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     Reversible lock, a lock that may be applied to a door
        opening in either direction, or hinged to either jamb.
  
     Reversible process. See under Process.
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reversible process - WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005) :

  reversible process
      n 1: any process in which a system can be made to pass through
           the same states in the reverse order when the process is
           reversed [ant: irreversible process]