- 1 (abbreviation g) the force that attracts objects in space towards each other, and that on the earth pulls them towards the centre of the planet, so that things fall to the ground when they are dropped Newton’s law of gravity see also centre of gravity Wordfinderphysicsamplitude, atom, energy, fission, force, frequency, gravity, molecule, nuclear, physics Oxford Collocations Dictionary adjectivelow, weak, zero, … verb + gravitydefy gravity + verbpull something, bend something prepositionby gravity phrasescentre/center of gravity, the force of gravity, the law of gravity, … See full entry See related entries: Energy and physical forces, Space travel, The universe
- 2(formal) extreme importance and a cause for worry synonym seriousness I don't think you realise the gravity of the situation. Punishment varies according to the gravity of the offence. Oxford Collocations Dictionary adjectiveextreme verb + gravityappreciate, realize, understand, … prepositionwith gravity See full entry
- 3(formal) serious behaviour, speech or appearance They were asked to behave with the gravity that was appropriate in a court of law. Oxford Collocations Dictionary adjectiveextreme verb + gravityappreciate, realize, understand, … prepositionwith gravity See full entry see also grave1 Word Originlate 15th cent. (in sense (2)): from Old French, or from Latin gravitas ‘weight, seriousness’, from gravis ‘heavy’. Sense (1) dates from the 17th cent.Extra examples Criminal law does not treat traffic offences with the gravity they deserve. Europe’s economic centre of gravity shifted northwards. Gravity bends light like a lens. Gravity pulls objects together. I don’t think you realize the extreme gravity of the situation. The building leans so much that it seems to defy gravity. The threat is not being treated with the gravity it deserves. The water flows from the tank by gravity to the houses below. The world’s economic centre/center of gravity is shifting east. a low centre/center of gravity the weak gravity on the moon
gravity
nounBrE BrE//ˈɡrævəti//; NAmE NAmE//ˈɡrævəti//
[uncountable] Energy and physical forces, Space travel, The universeCheck pronunciation: gravity
