Definitions
from The Century Dictionary.
- noun The state or quality of being inert
- noun The state of being inherently destitute of the power of motion or action; that property by which bodies tend to persist in a state of rest, or of motion derived from external force. See
inertia .
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- noun Lack of activity or exertion; habitual indisposition to action or motion; sluggishness; apathy; insensibility.
- noun Absence of the power of self-motion; inertia.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun Want of
activity orexertion ; habitualindisposition to action ormotion ;sluggishness ;apathy ;insensibility . - noun Absence of the
power of self-motion;inertia . - noun chemistry Quality of being
unreactive with other chemical compounds or elements.
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- noun immobility by virtue of being inert
Etymologies
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
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Examples
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How does the notion of inertness come at all, then?
The Recreations of a Country Parson Andrew Kennedy Hutchison Boyd 1862
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Thus we shall speak of matter as showing the attribute of 'inertness', when it is subject to mechanical causation, of 'alertness', when it is subject to magical causation.
Man or Matter Ernst Lehrs
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It is certainly possible, as we have seen, for the victory of malice over love to be accompanied by thrilling pleasure; but, when this happens malice has lost something of its "inertness" by drawing to itself and corrupting for its own use the dynamic energy of love.
The Complex Vision John Cowper Powys 1917
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"The increasing need by the electronics industry for special metals with defined characteristics, such as inertness, conductivity and fusibility, has seen a revival in demand for [rare earths]," Nomura strategists said.
Rare-earth price rally to lift Asian producers Asia Markets - MarketWatch 2010
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The spareness of the set contributes to this feeling of inertness.
Howard Kissel: The Met's New Faust Howard Kissel 2011
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The short answer to the first question is that it's easy to mistake inertia for inertness.
The Arab Revolt in Retrospect Bret Stephens 2011
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Israel may be concerned about the turmoil and fear a post-Mubarak Egypt, but there's no evidence that is the cause of Obama's inertness.
Soros blames Jews for Egypt Jennifer Rubin 2011
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Then the air was slowly, very slowly, exhaled, and his body as slowly flattened itself down into inertness.
All Gold Canon 2010
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Then the air was slowly, very slowly, exhaled, and his body as slowly flattened itself down into inertness.
All Gold Cañon 2010
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The spareness of the set contributes to this feeling of inertness.
Howard Kissel: The Met's New Faust Howard Kissel 2011
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