Adhibitions

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The act of applying or using something, typically referring to attaching or affixing materials or ideas to a specific purpose or context
2. The process of bringing something into operation or effect by deliberate placement or inclusion within a system or arrangement
3. The practice of imposing or implementing a method, rule, or substance onto a target to achieve a desired result or function

Etymology: "Adhibitions" is the plural of "adhibition", a noun that comes from Latin "adhibitio", which in turn is formed from "adhibere", meaning to apply or bring to bear. The Latin verb is built from "ad-", "to" or "toward", and "habere", "to have" or "hold", so its literal sense is something like holding something toward a target. That physical image of bringing one thing up against another carries straight into the English sense of applying a method or substance to something. Because the word is a direct Latin borrowing rather than a term that passed through everyday speech, it has stayed fairly formal, and its plural follows the regular English pattern of adding "-s". The noun is also a relative of "adhibit", the verb meaning to use or apply, so the two forms share the same Latin core.

Synonyms: applications, uses, employments, utilizations, exertions