flexure

plural flexures

1. countableuncountableThe act of bending or flexing; flexion.

   The gular flutter is characterized by a rapid flutter of the gular region caused by flexure and relaxation of the hyoid apparatus

   2025, Brian Speer, Yvonne R.A. van Zeeland, Current Therapy in Avian Medicine and Surgery Volume II, Elsevier, page 450

2. countableuncountableA turn; a bend; a fold; a curve.

   varying with the flexures of the valley through which it meandered

   1860, “Glaciers”, in British Quarterly Review

   1 more example

   but scarce had I drawn back mine arms, strained the outward flexure of my knee-joints, and was fixed in an apt disposure to take the corvetto primo and leap-valiant of the cour, when methought suddenly there came in and did appear before me mine ancient, most reverend and singular good friend, the rector of Saynt Andrew of S—, nearest in neighbourhood, but not of mine own cure, myself being of D— manor house in the same vicinage,—who astonished beyond measure at my so extasied gladness, demanded wherefore I did carry myself on this wise?

   1843, Bernard M— (of S—), A Dream of a Queen's Reign, page 4

3. countableuncountableengineeringA part of a machine designed to bend in operation.
4. countableuncountableanatomyA curve or bend in a tubular organ.

   The Stomach [of a weasel] about three inches long; proportionably, more than a Dogs. An inch in Diametre at the upper Orifice; and the nether, ¼; having a flexure towards its Conjunction with the Guts: ſhaped like to the body of a pair of Bag-Pipes.

   1681, Nehemiah Grew, “The Comparative Anatomy of Stomachs and Guts Begun. Being Several Lectures Read before the Royal Society in the Year, 1676. Chapter I. Of the Stomachs and Guts of Six Carnivorous Quadrupeds; sc. The Weesle, Fitchet, Polecat, Cat, Dog and Fox.”, in Musæum Regalis Societatis. Or A Catalogue & Description of the Natural and Artificial Rarities Belonging to the Royal Society and Preserved at Gresham Colledge. […], London: […] W. Rawlins, for the author, →OCLC, page 1

5. countableuncountablebiologyThe last joint, or bend, of the wing of a bird.
6. countableuncountableastronomyThe small distortion of an astronomical instrument caused by the weight of its parts; the amount to be added or subtracted from the observed readings of the instrument to correct them for this distortion.

present singular third person flexures · participle present flexuring · participle past flexured · past flexured

1. To introduce a flexure into; to bend or flex.