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1. intr. ‘To tend to
one point from different places’ (J.); to tend to meet in a point; to
approach nearer together, as lines do, which meet if produced far
enough. The opposite of diverge.
1691
T. H[ALE]
Acc. New Invent.
124
The sides of the Ship converge into an Angle.
1751
CHAMBERS
Cycl.
s.v.,
Rays coming converging out of a rarer into a denser medium, converge
less..than if they had continued their motion through the first medium.
1796
MORSE
Amer. Geog.
I. 609
To the south-west..the mountains converge into a single ridge.
1860
FROUDE
Hist. Eng.
VI. 144
Forces from these four points were to converge on London.
1878
HUXLEY
Physiogr.
145
In the catchment-basin all the branches converge to the main stream; in
the delta they all diverge from the trunk channel.
b.
fig. To tend to meet in a common result or point of operation.
1837-9
HALLAM
Hist. Lit.
(1847) 377
Every circumstance converges to the same effect on the mind.
1858
GLADSTONE
Homer
III. 341
We find much and varied evidence converging to support the hypothesis.
c. Math. To approximate in the sum of its terms toward a
definite limit: see
CONVERGING
2.
1796
HUTTON
Math. Dict.
II. 436
The first series is called a converging one, because that by collecting
its terms successively, taking in always one term more, the successive
terms approximate or converge to the value or sum of the whole infinite
series.
1887
HALL
&
KNIGHT
Higher Algebra
§226 note,
This series converges very rapidly.
2. trans. To cause (lines or rays) to approach each other;
to cause to come together.
1768-74
TUCKER
Lt. Nat.
(1852) II. 537
The object-glass..and the eye-glass..one to converge the rays collected
by the other.
c1790
J. IMISON
Sch. Art
I. 243
By converging the sun-beams into a narrow compass.
1849
DE QUINCEY
Wks. IV. 304
A central rendezvous for converging them.
1863
Possibilities of Creation
102
Power of converging the optic axes.
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