Machinery. a rigid, movable piece or rod, connected with other parts by means of pivots or the like, for the purpose of transmitting motion.
–verb (used with object), verb (used without object)
11.
to join by or as if by a link or links; connect; unite (often fol. by up): The new bridge will link the island to the mainland. The company will soon link up with a hotel chain.
[Origin: 1375–1425; late ME link(e) < ODan lænkia chain; c. ON hlekkr link (pl., chain), OE hlence coat of chain mail, akin to G Gelenk joint]
A unit in a connected series of units: links of sausage; one link in a molecular chain.
A unit in a transportation or communications system.
A connecting element; a tie or bond: grandparents, our link with the past.
An association; a relationship: The Alumnae Association is my link to the school's present administration.
A causal, parallel, or reciprocal relationship; a correlation: Researchers have detected a link between smoking and heart disease.
An association; a relationship: The Alumnae Association is my link to the school's present administration.
A causal, parallel, or reciprocal relationship; a correlation: Researchers have detected a link between smoking and heart disease.
A cuff link.
Abbr. li A unit of length used in surveying, equal to 0.01 chain, 7.92 inches, or about 20.12 centimeters.
A rod or lever transmitting motion in a machine.
Computer Science A segment of text or a graphical item that serves as a cross-reference between parts of a hypertext document or between files or hypertext documents. Also called hotlink, hyperlink.
v.
linked, link·ing, links
v.
tr.
To connect with or as if with a link: linked the rings to form a chain. See Synonyms at join.
Computer Science To make a hypertext link in: linked her webpage to her employer's homepage.
v.
intr.
To become connected with or as if with a link: The molecules linked to form a polymer.
Computer Science To follow a hypertext link: With a click of the mouse, I linked to the company's website.
[Middle English linke, of Scandinavian origin; akin to Old Norse hlekkr, *hlenkr, from *hlenkr.]
c.1440, "one of a series of rings or loops which form a chain," probably from O.N. *hlenkr (cf. O.Swed. lænker "chain, link," Norw. lenke, Dan. lænke), from P.Gmc. *khlankijaz (cf. Ger. lenken "to bend, turn, lead," gelenk "articulation, joint, link," O.E. hlencan (pl.) "armor"), from PIE base *qleng- "to bend." The verb (1387) is believed to be from the noun, though it is attested earlier. Missing link between man and apes dates to 1880.
(computing) an instruction that connects one part of a program or an element on a list to another program or list
7.
a channel for communication between groups; "he provided a liaison with the guerrillas" [syn: liaison]
8.
a two-way radio communication system (usually microwave); part of a more extensive telecommunication network [syn: radio link]
9.
an interconnecting circuit between two or more locations for the purpose of transmitting and receiving data
verb
1.
make a logical or causal connection; "I cannot connect these two pieces of evidence in my mind"; "colligate these facts"; "I cannot relate these events at all" [syn: associate] [ant: decouple]
2.
connect, fasten, or put together two or more pieces; "Can you connect the two loudspeakers?"; "Tie the ropes together"; "Link arms" [syn: connect] [ant: disconnect]
3.
be or become joined or united or linked; "The two streets connect to become a highway"; "Our paths joined"; "The travelers linked up again at the airport" [syn: connect]
4.
link with or as with a yoke; "yoke the oxen together" [syn: yoke]
linkAudio Help (lĭngk) Pronunciation Key
A segment of text or a graphical item that serves as a cross-reference between parts of a webpage or other hypertext documents or between webpages or other hypertext documents.
Link\ (l[i^][ng]k), n. [Prob. corrupted from lint and this for lunt a torch, match, D. lont match; akin to G. lunte, cf. MHG. l["u]nden to burn. Cf. Lunt, Linstock.] A torch made of tow and pitch, or the like. --Shak.
Link\, n. [OE. linke, AS. hlence; akin to Sw. l["a]nk ring of a chain, Dan. l[ae]nke chain, Icel. hlekkr; cf. G. gelenk joint, link, ring of a chain, lenken to bend.]1. A single ring or division of a chain. 2. Hence: Anything, whether material or not, which binds together, or connects, separate things; a part of a connected series; a tie; a bond. "Links of iron." --Shak. The link of brotherhood, by which One common Maker bound me to the kind. --Cowper. And so by double links enchained themselves in lover's life. --Gascoigne. 3. Anything doubled and closed like a link; as, a link of horsehair. --Mortimer. 4. (Kinematics) Any one of the several elementary pieces of a mechanism, as the fixed frame, or a rod, wheel, mass of confined liquid, etc., by which relative motion of other parts is produced and constrained. 5. (Mach.) Any intermediate rod or piece for transmitting force or motion, especially a short connecting rod with a bearing at each end; specifically (Steam Engine), the slotted bar, or connecting piece, to the opposite ends of which the eccentric rods are jointed, and by means of which the movement of the valve is varied, in a link motion. 6. (Surveying) The length of one joint of Gunter's chain, being the hundredth part of it, or 7.92 inches, the chain being 66 feet in length. Cf. Chain, n., 4. 7. (Chem.) A bond of affinity, or a unit of valence between atoms; -- applied to a unit of chemical force or attraction. 8. pl. Sausages; -- because linked together. [Colloq.]
Link\ (l[i^][ng]k), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Linked (l[i^][ng]kt); p. pr. & vb. n. Linking.] To connect or unite with a link or as with a link; to join; to attach; to unite; to couple. All the tribes and nations that composed it [the Roman Empire] were linked together, not only by the same laws and the same government, but by all the facilities of commodious intercourse, and of frequent communication. --Eustace.
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