Library / English Dictionary

ROTATE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Plant or grow in a fixed cyclic order of succession

Example:

We rotate the crops so as to maximize the use of the soil

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "rotate" is one way to...):

grow (cause to grow or develop)

Verb group:

rotate (exchange on a regular basis)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

rotation (a planned recurrent sequence (of crops or personnel etc.))

Sense 2

Meaning:

Perform a job or duty on a rotating basis

Example:

Interns have to rotate for a few months

Classified under:

Verbs of fighting, athletic activities

Hypernyms (to "rotate" is one way to...):

serve (do duty or hold offices; serve in a specific function)

Verb group:

rotate (exchange on a regular basis)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s PP

Derivation:

rotation (a planned recurrent sequence (of crops or personnel etc.))

Sense 3

Meaning:

Turn on or around an axis or a center

Example:

The lamb roast rotates on a spit over the fire

Synonyms:

go around; revolve; rotate

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Hypernyms (to "rotate" is one way to...):

turn (move around an axis or a center)

Verb group:

circumvolve; rotate (cause to turn on an axis or center)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "rotate"):

drive in; screw (cause to penetrate, as with a circular motion)

screw (turn like a screw)

wheel; wheel around (change directions as if revolving on a pivot)

gyrate; reel; spin; spin around; whirl (revolve quickly and repeatedly around one's own axis)

swirl; twiddle; twirl; whirl (turn in a twisting or spinning motion)

Sentence frame:

Something is ----ing PP

Derivation:

rotation (the act of rotating as if on an axis)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Turn outward

Example:

ballet dancers can rotate their legs out by 90 degrees

Synonyms:

rotate; splay; spread out; turn out

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Hypernyms (to "rotate" is one way to...):

turn (change orientation or direction, also in the abstract sense)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Sense 5

Meaning:

Cause to turn on an axis or center

Example:

Rotate the handle

Synonyms:

circumvolve; rotate

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Hypernyms (to "rotate" is one way to...):

turn (change orientation or direction, also in the abstract sense)

Cause:

go around; revolve; rotate (turn on or around an axis or a center)

Verb group:

go around; revolve; rotate (turn on or around an axis or a center)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "rotate"):

crank; crank up (rotate with a crank)

birl; spin; twirl; whirl (cause to spin)

birl; birle (cause a floating log to rotate by treading)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Derivation:

rotation (the act of rotating as if on an axis)

rotatory (of or relating to or characteristic or causing an axial or orbital turn)

Sense 6

Meaning:

Exchange on a regular basis

Example:

We rotate the lead soprano every night

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Hypernyms (to "rotate" is one way to...):

alternate (exchange people temporarily to fulfill certain jobs and functions)

Verb group:

rotate (plant or grow in a fixed cyclic order of succession)

rotate (perform a job or duty on a rotating basis)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s somebody

Derivation:

rotation (a planned recurrent sequence (of crops or personnel etc.))

Credits

 Context examples: 

The infraspinatus muscle extends and rotates the arm laterally.

(Infraspinatus, NCI Thesaurus)

A flat rotating disk designed for data storage.

(Computer Disc, NCI Thesaurus)

A cylindrical metal sleeve designed to reduce the friction of a rotating shaft.

(Bushing Device Component, NCI Thesaurus)

As a planet rotates, the electrically susceptible liquid swirls around and drives electric currents, inducing a magnetic field.

(Juno Peers Inside a Giant, NASA)

Then, a special, wide needle is pushed into the bone and rotated to remove a sample of bone with the bone marrow inside it.

(Bone marrow biopsy, NCI Dictionary)

Vast subtropical gyres — large systems of rotating currents in the middle of the oceans — cover 40% of the Earth.

(North Pacific Ocean fertilized by iron in Asian dust, National Science Foundation)

Some orbit in the opposite direction their planets rotate; others swap orbits with each other as if to avoid collision.

(NASA Finds Neptune Moons Locked in 'Dance of Avoidance', NASA)

The radar images confirmed the asteroid rotates once every 2.4 hours.

(Biggest Asteroid Ever Detected Flies Past Earth, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

The models review two possible orbits: one tidally locked and one modeled after Mercury's, with a slow-rotating three days per year.

(Simulations show planet orbiting Proxima Centauri could have liquid water, Wikinews)

North on Rhea is up and rotated 36 degrees to the right.

(Regarding Rhea, NASA)