See Also: Servo-(dictionary)
servo(dictionary)

servo (iou)



servo noun & verb. L19.
[French servo-moteur servomotor, from Latin servus slave + -o- -O- + French moteur MOTOR noun.]
A. noun. Pl. -os.
In full servomotor. Orig., an auxiliary motor used to direct the rudders of a torpedo or the reversing gear of a large marine engine. Now gen., any device used as the motive element in a servomechanism. L19.
In full servomechanism. A powered mechanism which produces controlled motion at a high energy or power level in response to an input motion of lower energy; esp. one in which feedback is employed to make the control automatic, generally comprising a measuring device, a servo-amplifier, and a servomotor; transf. & fig. a non-mechanical (esp. physiological) system characterized by self-regulating feedback. E20.
Comb.: servo-amplifier the part of a servomechanism that responds to a small error signal and delivers a corresponding large signal to the servomotor; servo brake (a) a vehicle brake whose application is assisted by the momentum of the vehicle; (b) a brake operated by a servomechanism; servo control (a) an aircraft control using a servo tab; (b) a servomechanism; (c) the use of a servomechanism to assist with the control of a system; the action or practice of controlling a system by means of a servomechanism; servo-control verb trans. control by means of a servomechanism; servo flap Aeronautics = servo tab below; servohydraulic adjective both servo-controlled and hydraulic; servomechanical adjective of or pertaining to a servomechanism; servomechanism: see sense 2 above; servomotor: see sense 1 above; servo system a servomechanism; servo tab Aeronautics a tab, operated directly by the pilot, which gives rise to aerodynamic forces that assist in moving the main flap.
b. verb trans. Control or operate by a servomechanism. L20.