[1] : The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

focus \fo"cus\ f=o"ku^s, n.; pl. e. focuses
   f=o"ku^se^z, l. foci f=o"simac. l. focus
   hearth, fireplace; perh. akin to e. bake. cf. curfew,
   fuel, fusil the firearm.
   1. opt. a point in which the rays of light meet, after
      being reflected or refracted, and at which the image is
      formed; as, the focus of a lens or mirror.
      1913 webster

   2. geom. a point so related to a conic section and certain
      straight line called the directrix that the ratio of the
      distance between any point of the curve and the focus to
      the distance of the same point from the directrix is
      constant.
      1913 webster

   note: thus, in the ellipse fghklm, a is the focus and cd the
         directrix, when the ratios fa:fe, ga:gd, ma:mc, etc.,
         are all equal. so in the hyperbola, a is the focus and
         cd the directrix when the ratio ha:hk is constant for
         all points of the curve; and in the parabola, a is the
         focus and cd the directrix when the ratio ba:bc is
         constant. in the ellipse this ratio is less than unity,
         in the parabola equal to unity, and in the hyperbola
         greater than unity. the ellipse and hyperbola have each
         two foci, and two corresponding directrixes, and the
         parabola has one focus and one directrix. in the
         ellipse the sum of the two lines from any point of the
         curve to the two foci is constant; that is: ag + gb =
         ah + hb; and in the hyperbola the difference of the
         corresponding lines is constant. the diameter which
         passes through the foci of the ellipse is the major
         axis. the diameter which being produced passes through
         the foci of the hyperbola is the transverse axis. the
         middle point of the major or the transverse axis is the
         center of the curve. certain other curves, as the
         lemniscate and the cartesian ovals, have points called
         foci, possessing properties similar to those of the
         foci of conic sections. in an ellipse, rays of light
         coming from one focus, and reflected from the curve,
         proceed in lines directed toward the other; in an
         hyperbola, in lines directed from the other; in a
         parabola, rays from the focus, after reflection at the
         curve, proceed in lines parallel to the axis. thus rays
         from a in the ellipse are reflected to b; rays from a
         in the hyperbola are reflected toward l and m away from
         b.
         1913 webster

   3. a central point; a point of concentration.
      1913 webster

   aplanatic focus. opt. see under aplanatic.

   conjugate focus opt., the focus for rays which have a
      sensible divergence, as from a near object; -- so called
      because the positions of the object and its image are
      interchangeable.

   focus tube phys., a vacuum tube for roentgen rays in
      which the cathode rays are focused upon the anticathode,
      for intensifying the effect.

   principal focus, or solar focus opt., the focus for
      parallel rays.
      1913 webster
see also:
focuses foci curfew fuel fusil aplanatic focus 
aplanatic conjugate focus focus tube principal focus solar focus 

[2] : The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

focus \fo"cus\, v. t. imp.  p. p. focused; p. pr.  vb. n.
   focusing.
   to bring to a focus; to focalize; as, to focus a camera. --r.
   hunt.
   1913 webster
see also:
focused focusing 

[3] : WordNet (r) 2.0

focus
     n 1: the concentration of attention or energy on something; "the
          focus of activity shifted to molecular biology"; "he had
          no direction in his life" syn: focusing, focussing,
           direction, centering
     2: maximum clarity or distinctness of an image rendered by an
        optical system; "in focus"; "out of focus"
     3: maximum clarity or distinctness of an idea; "the controversy
        brought clearly into focus an important difference of
        opinion"
     4: a central point or locus of an infection in an organism;
        "the focus of infection" syn: focal point, nidus
     5: special emphasis attached to something; "the stress was more
        on accuracy than on speed" syn: stress
     6: a point of convergence of light or other radiation or a
        point from which it diverges syn: focal point
     7: a fixed reference point on the concave side of a conic
        section
     v 1: direct one's attention on something; "please focus on your
          studies and not on your hobbies" syn: concentrate, center,
           centre, pore, rivet
     2: cause to converge on or toward a central point; "focus the
        light on this image" ant: blur
     3: bring into focus or alignment; to converge or cause to
        converge; of ideas or emotions syn: concenter, concentre,
         focalize, focalise
     4: become focussed or come into focus; "the light focused"
        syn: focalize, focalise ant: blur
     5: put an image into focus; "please focus the image; we
        cannot enjoy the movie" syn: focalize, focalise, sharpen
        ant: blur
     also: foci pl
see also:
focusing focussing direction centering focal point nidus 
stress concentrate center centre pore 
rivet blur concenter concentre focalize 
focalise sharpen foci 

[4] : Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0

96 moby thesaurus words for "focus":
   adductor, approach, asymptote, attractant, attrahent, axiom,
   blurred, blurry, bottleneck, bring into focus, center,
   center of attraction, center of consciousness, center of interest,
   clear, collision course, concenter, concentralization,
   concentralize, concentrate, concentration, concourse, concurrence,
   confluence, conflux, congress, converge, convergence, converging,
   core, crossing, cynosure, distinct, elixir, essence, essential,
   fix, fixate, flower, focal point, focalization, focalize,
   focus of attention, fundamental, funnel, fuzzy, gist, gravamen,
   heart, hub, hypostasis, in focus, indistinct, inner essence,
   kernel, lodestar, lure, magnet, marrow, meat, meet, meeting,
   mutual approach, narrowing gap, nave, nerve, nub, nucleus,
   nuts and bolts, out of focus, pinpoint, pith, point of convergence,
   polestar, postulate, prime focus, principle, put, quid, quiddity,
   quintessence, radius, rivet, sap, soul, spirit, spokes, spotlight,
   stuff, substance, tangent, target, the nitty-gritty, unclear,
   woolly, zero in

[5] : The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (27 SEP 03)

focus
     
         a hierarchical database language from
        information builders, inc.
     
        1994-12-21
     
     
see also:
database information builders, inc. 

Focus >> F Words
Focus, definition of term: Focus
focus_pag1.html

Focus On >> F Words
Focus On, definition of term: Focus On
focus+on_pag1.html

Virtual Focus >> V Words
Virtual Focus, definition of term: Virtual Focus
virtual+focus_pag1.html

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