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plural epicycles
(astronomy) A small circle whose centre is on the circumference of a larger circle; in Ptolemaic astronomy it was seen as the basis of revolution of the "seven planets", given a fixed central Earth. quotations examples
Is it not [Philosophie], that […] teacheth miserie, famine and sicknesse to laugh? Not by reason of some imaginarie Epicicles, but by naturall and palpable reasons.
1603, Michel de Montaigne, translated by John Florio, The Essayes […], London: […] Val[entine] Simmes for Edward Blount […]
(geometry) Any circle whose circumference rolls around that of another circle, thus creating a hypocycloid or epicycloid. examples
(organic chemistry) A ring of atoms joining parts of an already cyclic compound examples
(figuratively) An ad hoc complication added to a model to make it fit the known data quotations examples
If two chronicles seemed contradictory, instead of trying to choose between them, a rationalization (epicycle) was devised to cover both.
1978, The Journal of the Siam Society, volumes 66-67, page 152
Rather than solve the theoretical problem of how to produce a method of political ethics, the contractarian device introduces an unnecessary theoretical epicycle into what is otherwise a coherent account of social justice in particular and political morality in general.
1998, Paul Joseph Kelly, Impartiality, Neutrality and Justice: Re-reading Brian Barry’s Justice as Impartiality, page 12