armature

armature
/ahr"meuh cheuhr/, n.
1. armor.
2. Biol. the protective covering of an animal or plant, or any part serving for defense or offense.
3. Elect.
a. the part of an electric machine that includes the main current-carrying winding and in which the electromotive force is induced.
b. the pivoted part of an electric device, as a buzzer or relay, that is activated by a magnetic field.
c. the iron or steel applied across the poles of a permanent magnet to close it, or across the poles of an electromagnet to transmit a mechanical force. See illus. under electromagnet.
4. Sculpture. a skeletal framework built as a support on which a clay, wax, or plaster figure is constructed.
[1535-45; ( < MF) < L armatura an outfit, armor, equiv. to armat(us) equipped (see ARM2, -ATE1) + -ura -URE]

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      in sculpture, a skeleton or framework used by an artist to support a figure being modeled in soft plastic material. An armature can be made from any material that is damp-resistant and rigid enough to hold such plastic materials as moist clay and plaster, which are applied to and shaped around it. Pieces of thick wire, a few blocks of wood nailed together, or a galvanized iron pipe secured to a baseboard can serve as the armature for a life-sized head or a small standing figure. Larger pieces of sculpture are supported by more complicated armatures constructed of lead pipe, iron rods, or pipes and wood. A combination of these materials is used in the huge armatures required for monumental sculpture. Armatures for large models were used as early as the Renaissance.

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Universalium. 2010.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • armature — [ armatyr ] n. f. • 1282; lat. armatura 1 ♦ Assemblage de pièces de bois ou de métal qui sert à maintenir les diverses parties d un ouvrage de charpente, de maçonnerie, qui consolide une matière fragile. ⇒ charpente; carcasse, échafaudage.… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Armature — may refer to:* Armature (computer animation), the kinematic chains used in computer animation to simulate the motions of virtual characters * Armature (electrical engineering), one of the two principal electrical components of an… …   Wikipedia

  • Armature — Ar ma*ture, n. [L. armatura, fr. armare to arm: cf. F. armature. See {Arm}, v. t., {Armor}.] 1. Armor; whatever is worn or used for the protection and defense of the body, esp. the protective outfit of some animals and plants. [1913 Webster] 2.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • armature — index ammunition, panoply Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

  • armature — ARMATURE. s. f. Assemblage de différentes barres, ou liens de métal, pour soutenir ou contenir les parties d un ouvrage de Mécanique …   Dictionnaire de l'Académie Française 1798

  • armature — (n.) c.1400, an armed force, from L. armatura armor, equipment, from armatus, pp. of armare to arm, furnish with weapons from arma (see ARM (Cf. arm) (n.2)). Meaning armor is mid 15c.; that of protective covering of a plant or animal is from… …   Etymology dictionary

  • armature — ► NOUN 1) the rotating coil of a dynamo or electric motor. 2) any moving part of an electrical machine in which a voltage is induced by a magnetic field. 3) a piece of iron acting as a keeper for a magnet. 4) Biology the protective covering of an …   English terms dictionary

  • armature — [är′mə chər] n. [L armatura, arms, equipment < armatus, pp. of armare; all senses from that of “armored, protected”: see ARM2, vt.] 1. any protective covering: see ARMOR (senses 1 & 2) 2. any part or structure of an organism useful for defense …   English World dictionary

  • Armature — Cette page d’homonymie répertorie les différents sujets et articles partageant un même nom. Sur les autres projets Wikimedia : « Armature », sur le Wiktionnaire (dictionnaire universel) l armature ou armure, en musique l armature… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • armature —    A skeleton like framework to give rigid internal support to a modeled sculpture. Such sculptures are typically of either clay or wax. Armature wire used to build an armature is available in various gauges. A basic linear form in wire can be… …   Glossary of Art Terms

  • ARMATURE — n. f. T. d’Arts Ensemble des pièces de bois ou de métal qui servent à maintenir les parties d’un ouvrage, en construction ou achevé : L’armature d’une voûte, d’un vitrail, d’une statue; ou à garnir un appareil et à en assurer le fonctionnement :… …   Dictionnaire de l'Academie Francaise, 8eme edition (1935)

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