ppl. a. [f. CONVERGE v. + -ING2.] That converges.
1. Inclining towards each other or towards a common point of meeting; tending to meet in a point. In Optics, applied to rays of light that meet or tend to meet in a focus; in Bot., etc., to pairs of organs that bend towards each other.
Converging fibres (Phys.): ‘fibres which connect different centres of the brain with each other, as the cortical substance with the centres at the base of the brain’ (Syd. Soc. Lex., 1882).
1776. Withering, Brit. Plants (1796), II. 219. Calyx tubular … with 5 converging scales at the mouth.
1794. J. Hutton, Philos. Light, etc., 75. More of the converging light will be absorbed.
1811. J. Wood, Optics, ii. 15. Converging rays … approach to each other in their progress, and, if not intercepted, at length meet.
1855. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., IV. 14. Approaching the fated city by many converging routes.
1884. Bower & Scott, De Bary’s Phaner., 244. They curve in a converging manner at the next node.
b. fig. of things immaterial that tend to concur or meet.
1841. Myers, Cath. Th., II. xlviii. 185. Where all the converging lines of Scripture meet.
a. 1871. Grote, Eth. Fragm., iv. (1876), 73. The ethical sanctions have a converging tendency towards the happiness of society as their end.
c. Consisting or formed of converging elements or parts.
1863. Kinglake, Crimea (1877), III. i. 86. Under a converging fire of artillery.
2. Math. Applied to an infinite series of terms or numbers, the sum of which, beginning with the first, continually approximates towards a definite limit as more and more terms are taken.
A simple converging series is exemplified by the series 1 + 1/2 + 1/4 + 1/8+ 1/16, etc., the limit of which is 2. Converging fractions: = CONVERGENT. B.
1727–51. Chambers, Cycl., s.v., Converging series, in mathematics.
1807. Hutton, Course Math., II. 300. So arranged … that the series produced may be a converging one, rather than diverging: and this is effected by placing the greater terms foremost in the given fluxion.
1885. Watson & Burbury, Math. Th. Electr. & Magn., 35. Expanded in a converging series of ascending powers of μ.
3. Causing convergence.
1833. N. Arnott, Physics (ed. 5), II. 202. The gathering or converging power of any glass.
1860. Tyndall, Glac., II. xxiv. 354. I placed a large converging lens in the sunbeams.
