Webster's English Dictionary

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axis

ax.is \'ak-s*s\ \-.se-z\ n or ax.es [L, axis, axle; akin to OE eax axis, 
   axle, Gk axo-n, L axilla] pl  armpit, agere to drive - more at AGENT 1a: a 
   straight line about which a body or a geometric figure rotates or may be 
   supposed to rotate 1b: a straight line with respect to which a body or 
   figure is symmetrical  1c: a straight line that bisects at right angles a 
   system of parallel chords of a curve and divides the curve into two 
   symmetrical portions 1d: one of the reference lines of a coordinate system  
   2a: the second vertebra of the neck that serves as a pivot for the head to  
   turn on 2b: any of various central, fundamental, or axial parts  3: a plant 
   stem  4: one of several imaginary lines assumed in describing the positions 
   of th e planes by which a crystal is bounded, the positions of atoms in the 
   structure of the crystal, and the directions associated with vectorial and 
   tensorial physical properties 5: a main line of direction, motion, growth, 
   or extension  6a: an implied line in painting or sculpture through a 
   composition to which elements in the composition are referred 6b: a line 
   actually drawn and used as the basis of measurements in an architectural 
   or other working drawing 7: any of three fixed lines of reference in an 
   airplane which are usu. cent roidal and mutually perpendicular and of which 
   the first is the principal longitudinal line in the plane of symmetry, the 
   second is perpendicular to the first in the plane of symmetry, and the 
   third is perpendicular to the other two - called also respectively 
   longitudinal axis, normal axis, lateral axis 8: PARTNERSHIP, ALLIANCE