Evolútion. n.s. [evolutus, Latin.]
- The act of unrolling or unfolding.
- The series of things unrolled or unfolded.
The whole evolution of ages, from everlasting to everlasting, is so collectedly and presentifickly represented to God at once, as if all things which ever were, are, or shall be, were at this very instant, and so always, really present and existent before him. More's Divine Dialogues.
- [In geometry.] The equable evolution of the periphery of a circle, or any other curve, is such a gradual approach of the circumference to rectitude, as that all its parts do meet together, and equally evolve or unbend; so that the same line becomes successively a less arch of a reciprocally greater circle, 'till at last they turn into a strait line. In the Philos. Transactions, № 260. you have a new quadratix to the circle, found by this means. Harris.
- [In tacticks.] The motion made by a body of men in changing their posture, or form of drawing up, either to make good the ground they are upon, or to possess themselves of another; that so they may attack the enemy, or receive his onset more advantageously. And these evolutions are doubling of ranks or files, countermarches, and wheelings. Harris.
This spontaneous coagulation of the little saline bodies was preceded by almost innumerable evolutions, which were so various, that the little bodies came to obvert to each other those parts by which they might be best fasted together. Boyle.
- Evolution of Powers [in algebra]. Extracting of roots from any given power, being the reverse of involution. Harr.
