Polarize


[poh-luh-rahyz] /ˈpoʊ ləˌraɪz/

verb (used with object), polarized, polarizing.
1.
to cause in.
2.
to divide into sharply opposing factions, political groups, etc.:
The controversy has polarized voters into proabortion and antiabortion groups.
3.
to give to.
verb (used without object), polarized, polarizing.
4.
to become polarized.
/ˈpəʊləˌraɪz/
verb
1.
to acquire or cause to acquire polarity
2.
to acquire or cause to acquire polarization: to polarize light
3.
to cause people to adopt extreme opposing positions: to polarize opinion
v.

1811, in optics, from French polariser, coined by French physicist Étienne-Louis Malus (1775-1812) as a term in optics, from Modern Latin polaris “polar” (see polar). Transferred sense of “to accentuate a division in a group or system” is first recorded 1949 in Arthur Koestler. Related: Polarized; polarizing.
polarize
(pō’lə-rīz’)

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  • Polarizer

    [poh-luh-rahy-zer] /ˈpoʊ ləˌraɪ zər/ noun 1. a person or thing that . 2. Optics. a device, often a crystal or prism, that light. /ˈpəʊləˌraɪzə/ noun 1. a person or a device that causes polarization

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  • Polarizing-microscope

    noun 1. a microscope that utilizes polarized light to reveal detail in an object, used especially to study crystalline and fibrous structures. polarizing microscope (pō’lə-rī’zĭng) A microscope in which the object viewed is illuminated by polarized light. Since some materials act like polarizing filters, viewing objects with polarized light can reveal such materials when ordinary […]

  • Polar-molecule

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