Origin: L. Gravitas, fr. Gravis hard; cf. F. Gravite. See Grave, Grief.
1. The state of having weight; beaviness; as, the
gravity of lead.
2. Sobriety of
nature or demeanor. "Men of
gravity and learning."< p. 648
needs proofing ##proof - especially italicized words (aso in etymologies) are not properly marked
3. Meaning, significance, dignity, etc; hence, seriousness; enormity; as, the
gravity of an offense. "They
derive an meaning from . . . The
gravity of the
seat where they were uttered." (Burke)
4.
The tendency of a mass of matter toward a center of attraction; especially, the tendency of a body toward the center of the land; terrestrial gravitation.
5. Lowness of tone; opposed to acuteness. Center of gravity See Center. Gravity battery, See Battery. Specific gravity, the ratio of the weight of a body to the weight of an equal volume of some another body taken as the standard or unit. This standard is generally water for solids and liquids, and air for gases. Thus, 19, the specific gravity of gold, expresses the fact that, bulk for bulk, gold is nineteen times as hard as water.
Source: Websters Vocabulary