inertia

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: in=er=tia

CIDE DICTIONARY

inertia, n. [L., idleness, fr. iners idle. See Inert.].

•  That property of matter by which it tends when at rest to remain so, and when in motion to continue in motion, and in the same straight line or direction, unless acted on by some external force; -- sometimes called vis inertiæ. The inertia of a body is proportional to its mass.  [1913 Webster]
•  Inertness; indisposition to motion, exertion, or action; lack of energy; sluggishness.  [1913 Webster]

  "Men . . . have immense irresolution and inertia."  [1913 Webster]
•  Lack of activity; sluggishness; -- said especially of the uterus, when, in labor, its contractions have nearly or wholly ceased.  [1913 Webster]

Center of inertia. (Mech.) See under Center.

OXFORD DICTIONARY

inertia, n.
1 Physics a property of matter by which it continues in its existing state of rest or uniform motion in a straight line, unless that state is changed by an external force.
2 inertness, sloth.

Idiom

inertia reel a reel device which allows a vehicle seat belt to unwind freely but which locks under force of impact or rapid deceleration. inertia selling the sending of unsolicited goods in the hope of making a sale.

Derivative

inertial adj. inertialess adj.

Etymology

L (as INERT)

THESAURUS

inertia

a wise passiveness, abeyance, apathy, catalepsy, catatonia, cautiousness, circumspection, contemplation, contemplative life, creeping, deadliness, deathliness, deliberateness, deliberation, dilatoriness, do-nothing policy, do-nothingism, do-nothingness, dormancy, drawl, dullness, entropy, ergophobia, faineancy, faineantise, firmness, foot-dragging, hibernation, hoboism, idleness, immobility, immobilization, immovability, immovableness, inaction, inactiveness, inactivity, indifference, indolence, inertness, inexertion, inextricability, inflexibility, irremovability, just being, laggardness, laissez-aller, laissez-faire, laissez-faireism, languor, lassitude, latency, laziness, leisureliness, lentitude, lentor, listlessness, lotus-eating, lull, meditation, mere existence, mere tropism, motionlessness, neutralism, neutrality, neutralness, noninvolvement, nonparticipation, nonresistance, nonviolence, nonviolent resistance, pacifism, paralysis, passive resistance, passive self-annihilation, passiveness, passivism, passivity, pokiness, policy, procrastination, quiescence, quietism, reluctance, remissness, rigidity, shiftlessness, slackness, sloth, slothfulness, slowness, sluggardy, sluggishness, solidity, spring fever, stagnancy, stagnation, standpattism, stasis, suspense, suspension, tentativeness, torpor, underactivity, unmovability, unyieldingness, vagrancy, vegetation, vis inertiae, vita contemplativa, waiting game, watching and waiting

ROGET THESAURUS

inertia

Insensibility

N insensibility, insensibleness, moral insensibility, inertness, inertia, vis inertiae, impassibility, impassibleness, inappetency, apathy, phlegm, dullness, hebetude, supineness, lukewarmness, cold fit, cold blood, cold heart, coldness, coolness, frigidity, sang froid, stoicism, imperturbation, nonchalance, unconcern, dry eyes, insouciance, recklessness, callousness, heart of stone, stock and stone, marble, deadness, torpor, torpidity, obstupefaction, lethargy, coma, trance, vegetative state, sleep, suspended animation, stupor, stupefaction, paralysis, palsy, numbness, neutrality, quietism, vegetation, insensible, unconscious, impassive, impassible, blind to, deaf to, dead to, unsusceptible, insusceptible, unimpressionable, unimpressible, passionless, spiritless, heartless, soulless, unfeeling, unmoral, apathetic, leuco-, phlegmatic, dull, frigid, cold blooded, cold hearted, cold as charity, flat, maudlin, obtuse, inert, supine, sluggish, torpid, torpedinous, torporific, sleepy, languid, half-hearted, tame, numbed, comatose, anaesthetic, stupefied, chloroformed, drugged, stoned, palsy-stricken, indifferent, lukewarm, careless, mindless, regardless, inattentive, neglectful, disregarding, unconcerned, nonchalant, pococurante, insouciant, sans souci, unambitious, unaffected, unruffled, unimpressed, uninspired, unexcited, unmoved, unstirred, untouched, unshocked, unstruck, unblushing, unanimated, vegetative, callous, thick-skinned, hard-nosed, pachydermatous, impervious, hardened, inured, casehardened, steeled against, proof against, imperturbable, unfelt, insensibly, aequo animo, without being moved, without being touched, without being impressed, in cold blood, with dry eyes, with withers unwrung, never mind, macht nichts, it is of no consequence, it cannot be helped, nothing coming amiss, it is all the same to, it is all one to.

Physical Inertness

N physical inertness, inertness, dullness, inertia, vis inertiae, inertion, inactivity, torpor, languor, quiescence, latency, inaction, passivity, mental inertness, sloth, inexcitability, irresolution, obstinacy, permanence, rare gas, paraffin, noble metal, unreactivity, inert, inactive, passive, torpid, sluggish, dull, heavy, flat, slack, tame, slow, blunt, unreactive, lifeless, dead, uninfluential, latent, dormant, smoldering, unexerted, inactively, in suspense, in abeyance.