freefall means A state of motion affected by no acceleration or force other than that of gravity.
freefall is pronounced /ˈfɹiːˌfɔːl/.
Why “freefall” is a great word
Motion under the influence of gravity alone, or any rapid, uncontrolled decline, freefall is a compound of free (“unhindered”) and fall (“to descend under gravity”), first attested circa 1906. Unlike “descent,” which can be a controlled and powered retreat, or “plummet,” which implies a swift, decisive drop often through a resisting medium, freefall denotes the specific surrender to an unopposed force. It is the stomach-lurching silence after stepping off the ledge, the suspended terror before the parachute tears the sky, and the vertiginous drop of a stock index chart—a pure, accelerating moment where all support is theoretical and the only certainty is the ground.
Etymology
From free + fall.
noun
- A state of motion affected by no acceleration or force other than that of gravity.e.g.“SAC has a bomber study currently in progress to see how many freefalls, how many SRAM, how many ALCM's they need to fill out the force.”
- A state of motion but allowing for the presence of incidental air resistance not caused intentionally by devices such parachutes or wings.e.g.“I only had four months left on the team and wanted to log as many freefalls as possible, and I was closing in on my 750th jump.”
- A rapid, uncontrolled decline or worsening.e.g.“As civil war continues in Iraq, the U.S. president's approval ratings are in freefall.”
verb
- To drop in a state of freefall.e.g.“A base jumper attempts to freefall for as long as possible before triggering the parachute.”
- To decline or worsen rapidly and uncontrollably.
Words closest in meaning
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