Absolute

Part of speech: noun (n.)

In a plane, the two imaginary circular points at infinity; in space of three dimensions, the imaginary circle at infinity.

Part of speech: adjective (a.)

1. Loosed from any limitation or condition; uncontrolled; unrestricted; unconditional; as, absolute authority, monarchy, sovereignty, an absolute promise or command; absolute power; an absolute monarch.

2. Complete in itself; perfect; consummate; faultless; as, absolute perfection; absolute beauty. So absolute she seems, And in herself complete. Milton.

3. Viewed apart from modifying influences or without comparison with other objects; actual; real; -- opposed to relative and comparative; as, absolute motion; absolute time or space.

4. Loosed from, or unconnected by, dependence on any other being; self-existent; self-sufficing.

5. Capable of being thought or conceived by itself alone; unconditioned; non-relative.

6. Positive; clear; certain; not doubtful. [R.] I am absolute 't was very Cloten. Shak.

7. Authoritative; peremptory. [R.] The peddler stopped, and tapped her on the head, With absolute forefinger, brown and ringed. Mrs. Browning.

8. Pure; unmixed; as, absolute alcohol.

9. Not immediately dependent on the other parts of the sentence in government; as, the case absolute. See Ablative absolute, under Ablative. Absolute curvature (Geom.), that curvature of a curve of double curvature, which is measured in the osculating plane of the curve. -- Absolute equation (Astron.), the sum of the optic and eccentric equations. -- Absolute space (Physics), space considered without relation to material limits or objects. -- Absolute terms. (Alg.), such as are known, or which do not contain the unknown quantity. Davies & Peck. -- Absolute temperature (Physics), the temperature as measured on a scale determined by certain general thermo-dynamic principles, and reckoned from the absolute zero. -- Absolute zero (Physics), the be ginning, or zero point, in the scale of absolute temperature. It is equivalent to -273º centigrade or -459.4º Fahrenheit.

Synonyms: Positive; peremptory; certain; unconditional; unlimited; unrestricted; unqualified; arbitrary; despotic; autocratic.