socket

Noun

WordNet 3.0

Noun (3)

  1. a bony hollow into which a structure fits
  2. receptacle where something (a pipe or probe or end of a bone) is inserted
  3. a receptacle into which an electric device can be inserted
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Webster's Dictionary (GCIDE)

Socket \Sock"et\, n. [OE. soket, a dim. through OF. fr. L. soccus. See Sock a covering for the foot.]

1.An opening into which anything is fitted; any hollow thing or place which receives and holds something else; as, the sockets of the teeth. [1913 Webster]

His eyeballs in their hollow sockets sink.— Dryden.[1913 Webster]

2.Especially, the hollow tube or place in which a candle is fixed in the candlestick. [1913 Webster]

3.(Electricity) the receptacle of an electric lamp into which a light bulb is inserted, containing contacts to conduct electricity to the bulb. [PJC]

4.(Electricity) the receptacle fixed in a wall and connected by conductive wiring to an electrical supply, containing contacts to conduct electricity, and into which the plug of an electrical device is inserted; -- called also a wall socket or outlet. The socket will typically have two or three contacts; if three, the third is connected to a ground for safety. [PJC]

And in the sockets oily bubbles dance.— Dryden.[1913 Webster]

Socket bolt (Mach.), a bolt that passes through a thimble that is placed between the parts connected by the bolt.

Socket chisel. Same as Framing chisel. See under Framing.

Socket pipe, a pipe with an expansion at one end to receive the end of a connecting pipe.

Socket pole, a pole armed with iron fixed on by means of a socket, and used to propel boats, etc. [U.S.]

Socket wrench, a wrench consisting of a socket at the end of a shank or rod, for turning a nut, bolthead, etc., in a narrow or deep recess. [1913 Webster]

Free On-line Dictionary of Computing

socket

<networking> The Berkeley Unix mechansim for creating a virtual connection between processes. Sockets interface Unix's standard I/O with its network communication facilities. They can be of two types, stream (bi-directional) or datagram (fixed length destination-addressed messages). The socket library function socket() creates a communications end-point or socket and returns a file descriptor with which to access that socket. The socket has associated with it a socket address, consisting of a port number and the local host's network address.

Unix manual page: socket(2).

(1995-01-31)

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