ball joint
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ball joint:
see ball-and-socket jointball-and-socket joint,in engineering, mechanical connection used between parts that must be allowed some relative angular motion in nearly all directions. As the name implies, the joint consists essentially of a spherical knob at the end of a shaft, with the knob fitting
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ball joint
[′bȯl ‚jȯint] (anatomy)
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific & Technical Terms, 6E, Copyright © 2003 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
ball joint
A joint in which one part has a ball-shaped end that is held in a spherical shell attached to the other, thereby permitting the axis of one part to be set at any angle with respect to the other.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Architecture and Construction. Copyright © 2003 by McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
ball-and-socket joint
, ball joint1. a coupling between two rods, tubes, etc., that consists of a spherical part fitting into a spherical socket, allowing free movement within a specific conical volume
2. Anatomy a bony joint, such as the hip joint, in which a rounded head fits into a rounded cavity, allowing a wide range of movement
Collins Discovery Encyclopedia, 1st edition © HarperCollins Publishers 2005