The AI-powered English dictionary
plural detents
That which locks or unlocks a movement; a catch (stopping mechanism), pawl, or dog; especially, in clockwork, the catch which locks and unlocks the wheelwork in striking. quotations examples
A UHF tuner having 70 detent positions with fine tuning capability at all locations. Coarse tuning is accomplished via a toothed, detented disk and a spirally-extending rim having a follower lever operable therewith.
1972, Mayer et al., United States Patent 3760640, abstract
third-person singular simple present detents, present participle detenting, simple past and past participle detented
The action of creating a detent mechanism to lock or unlock movement. examples