detent noun.
[dɪ'tɛnt] In sense 3 also detant
[dɪ'tant].
L17.[French détente, Old French destente, from destendre (mod. détendre) slacken, from des- DIS- 2 + tendre stretch. In English assoc. with Latin detent- pa. ppl stem of detinere DETAIN verb, whence branch II.]I. 1. In clocks and watches, a catch which regulates striking.
L17.2. Any stop or catch in a machine which prevents a motion until released.
M19.3. In a gunlock, a small piece designed to prevent the sere from catching in the half-cock notch in the tumbler.
L19. [TahlilGaran] English Dictionary ▲