momentum

mo|men|tum [məuˈmentəm, mə- US mou-, mə-] n [U]

[Date: 1600-1700; : Latin; Origin: 'movement, moment', from movere 'to move']

1.) the ability to keep increasing, developing, or being more successful

gain/gather momentum

▪ The campaign for reform should start to gather momentum in the new year.

▪ incentives to maintain the momentum of European integration

▪ Governments often lose momentum in their second term of office.

momentum of

▪ the momentum of increasing immigration

momentum towards

▪ the momentum towards economic union

2.) the force that makes a moving object keep moving

gain/gather momentum

(=move faster)

▪ The wheel was allowed to roll down the slope, gathering momentum as it went.

▪ Pratt, without losing any momentum at all, passed them both and won the race.

3.) technical the force or power that is contained in a moving object and is calculated by multiplying its weight by its speed

momentum of

▪ the momentum of a particle