Webster's English Dictionary

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center

1. cen.ter or cen.tre \'sent-*r\ n [ME centre, fr. MF, fr. L centrum, fr. 
   Gk kentron sharp point] chiefly Brit , center of a circle, fr. kentein to 
   prick; akin to OHG hantag pointed, Latvian si-ts hunting spear 1: the point 
   equidistant or at the average distance from the exterior point s of a 
   circle, sphere, or other geometric figure 2a: a place in or around which an 
   activity concentrates or from which somet hing originates {propaganda ~} 
   2b: a group of nerve cells having a common function {respiratory ~)> 2c: a 
   region of concentrated population  3a: a middle part (as of an army or 
   stage)  often cap  3b1: political figures holding moderate views esp. 
   between those of conserv atives and liberals 3b2: the views of such 
   politicians  3b3: adherents of such views  4: a player occupying a middle 
   position on a team  5a: one of two tapered rods which support work in a 
   lathe or grinding machi ne and about or with which work revolves 5b: a 
   conical recess in the end of work (as a shaft) for receiving such a c enter
2. center or centre \'sent-*-rin, 'sen-trin\ vi or cen.ter.ing chiefly Brit 
    1: to place or fix at or around a center or central area or position  2: 
   to gather to a center : CONCENTRATE  3: to adjust (as lenses) so that the 
   axes coincide  : to have a center