The moments or quantities of motion in bodies.
Berkley.
Touch, with lightest moment of impulse, His free will.
Milton.
3. Importance, as in influence or effect; consequence; weight or value;
consideration.
Matters of great moment.
Shak.
It is an abstruse speculation, but also of far less moment and
consequence of us than the others.
Bentley.
4. An essential element; a deciding point, fact, or consideration; an
essential or influential circumstance.
5. (Math.) An infinitesimal change in a varying quantity; an increment
or decrement. [Obs.]
6. (Mech.) Tendency, or measure of tendency, to produce motion, esp.
motion about a fixed point or axis.
Moment of a couple (Mech.), the product of either of its forces into
the perpendicular distance between them. -- Moment of a force. (Mech.)
(a) With respect to a point, the product of the intensity of the force
into the perpendicular distance from the point to the line of direction
of the force. (b) With respect to a line, the product of that component
of the force which is perpendicular to the plane passing through the
line and the point of application of the force, into the shortest
distance between the line and this point. (c) With respect to a plane
that is parallel to the force, the product of the force into the
perpendicular distance of its point of application from the plane. --
Moment of inertia, of a rotating body, the sum of the mass of each
particle of matter of the body into the square of its distance from the
axis of rotation; -- called also moment of rotation and moment of the
mass. -- Statical moment, the product of a force into its leverage; the
same as moment of a force with respect to a point, line, etc. --
Virtual moment. See under Virtual.
Syn. -- Instant; twinkling; consequence; weight; force; value;
consideration; signification; avail.
Mo*men"tal (?), a. [Cf. OF. momental.] [Obs.] 1. Lasting but a moment;
brief.
Not one momental minute doth she swerve.
Breton.