*central*

{ ‖ } n. [ NL. centrale, fr. L. centralis. ] (Anat.) The central, or one of the central, bones of the carpus or or tarsus. In the tarsus of man it is represented by the navicular. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. same as centralization. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. 1. The state or condition of being central; the combination of several parts into one whole; centralization. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The system by which power is centralized, as in a government. [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. advocating centralization. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n.; pl. Centralities The state of being central; tendency towards a center. [ 1913 Webster ]

Meantime there is a great centrality, a centripetence equal to the centrifugence. R. W. Emerson. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. centralisation. ] The act or process of centralizing, or the state of being centralized; the act or process of combining or reducing several parts into a whole; as, the centralization of power in the general government; the centralization of commerce in a city. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Centralized p. pr. & vb. n. Centralizing. ] [ Cf. F. centraliser. ] To draw or bring to a center point; to gather into or about a center; to bring into one system, or under one control. [ 1913 Webster ]

[ To ] centralize the power of government. Bancroft. [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. 1. drawn toward a center or brought under the control of a central authority; as, centralized control of emergency relief efforts; centralized government. Opposite of decentralized. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

2. concentrated on or clustered around a central point or purpose; -- contrasting with distributed.
Syn. -- centered, centred, focused. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

adj. prenom. causing to concentrate at a center. Opposite of decentralizing. [ Narrower terms: centripetal, unifying(prenominal) ] [ WordNet 1.5 ]

adv. In a central manner or situation. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. the portion of the vertebrate nervous system consisting of the brain and spinal cord; -- abbreviated CNS.
Syn. -- CNS. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. same as decentralization.
Syn. -- decentralization. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

v. same as decentralize. Opposite of centralize and concentrate
Syn. -- decentralize, deconcentrate. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. 1. The action of decentralizing, or the state of being decentralized. “The decentralization of France.” J. P. Peters. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. the spread of power away from the center to local branches or governments. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

v. t. to make less central; to prevent from centralizing; to cause to withdraw from the center or place of concentration; to divide and distribute (what has been united or concentrated); -- esp. said of authority, or the administration of public affairs. [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. prenom. causing a dispersion or movement away from the center; -- used especially of power or administrative functions. Opposite of centralizing. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

adj. of a region of the U. S. generally including Kentucky and West Virginia. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

a. [ Pref. epi- + centrum. ] (Anat.) Arising from the centrum of a vertebra. Owen. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Pref. ex- + central. ] (Bot.) Out of the center.

a. Between centers. [ 1913 Webster ]

Intercentral nerves (Physiol.), those nerves which transmit impulses between nerve centers, as opposed to peripheral fibers, which convey impulses between peripheral parts and nerve centers. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Multi- + central. ] Having many, or several, centers; as, a multicentral cell. [ 1913 Webster ]

Multicentral development (Biol.), growth, or development, from several centers. According as the insubordination to a single center is more or less pronounced, the resultant organism will be more or less irregular in form and may even become discontinuous. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Neuro- + central. ] (Anat.) Between the neural arch and the centrum of a vertebra; as, the neurocentral suture. Huxley. [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. Of or pertaining to a region of the U. S. generally including states of the upper Mississippi valley and Great Lakes region lying north of the Ohio River and the southern boundaries of Kansas and Missouri and between the western boundary of Pennsylvania and the eastern boundaries of Montana; Wyoming; and Colorado. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

a. 1. Under the center. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Nearly central; not quite central. [ 1913 Webster ]