gimbal meaning: definition, etymology and quotations

gimbal

noun

/ˈd͡ʒɪmbəl/ · /ˈɡɪmbəl/

Etymology Alteration of gemel, from Old French gemel, jumel (“twin”) (French jumeau), from Latin gemellus.

A device for suspending something, such as a ship's compass, so that it will remain level when its support is tipped.

The lamp wriggled in its gimbals, the barometer swung in circles, the table altered its slant every moment […]1902, Joseph Conrad, chapter II, in Typhoon:
1934, A. E. W. Mason, “The Chronometer,” Chapter II, in Dilemmas, London: Hodder & Stoughton, He lifted the chronometer off the gimbals on which it was slung in the mahogany case and showed the number engraved upon the bottom.

Derived terms: gimbal lock

gimbal

verb

Etymology Alteration of gemel, from Old French gemel, jumel (“twin”) (French jumeau), from Latin gemellus.

To suspend using a gimbal or gimbals.

1918, Richard Dehan (Clotilde Graves), That Which Hath Wings, New York: G.P. Putnam’s Sons, Chapter 32, […] he conned his course in masterly fashion by aid of the roller-map, protected by its transparent, rainproof casing, or the compass, clock, altimeter, and other instruments gimballed in the wooden frame in front of the pilot’s seat.

Aerospace, Business, Engineering, Natural sciences, Physical sciences To move a reaction engine about on a gimbal so as to obtain pitching and yawing correction moments.

To swivel, move on an axis.

Entry derived from the Wiktionary, under licence CC BY-SA 4.0 — list of authors.