dɪsk n. (also
disk esp. US
and in
sense 4) 1 a a flat
thin circular object. b a
round flat or apparently flat
surface (the sun's disc). c a mark of
this shape. 2 a
layer of
cartilage between vertebrae. 3 a
gramophone record. 4 a (usu. disk; in full
magnetic disk) a
computer storage device consisting of
several flat circular magnetically coated plates formed
into a rotatable disc. b (in full
optical disc) a
smooth non-magnetic disc
with large storage
capacity for data recorded and
read by
laser. 5 a device with a
pointer or rotating disc indicating
time of
arrival or latest permitted time of
departure, for
display in a parked
motor vehicle. ødisc
brake a brake employing
the friction of pads
against a disc. disk
drive Computing a
mechanism for rotating a disk and
reading or
writing data
from or to
it. disc
harrow a harrow with
cutting edges consisting of a row of
concave discs set at an
oblique angle. disc
jockey the presenter of a
selection of gramophone records of
popular music, esp. in a
broadcast. [F disque or L
discus: see DISCUS]
