pivot

IPA: pˈɪvʌt

A thing on which something turns; specifically a metal pointed pin or short shaft in machinery, such as the end of an axle or spindle.
(figuratively, by extension) Something or someone having a paramount significance in a certain situation.
Act of turning on one foot.
(military) The officer or soldier who simply turns in his place while the company or line moves around him in wheeling.
(roller derby) A player with responsibility for co-ordinating their team in a particular jam.
(computing) An element of a set to be sorted that is chosen as a midpoint, so as to divide the other elements into two groups to be dealt with recursively.
(computing) A pivot table.
(graphical user interface) Any of a row of captioned elements used to navigate to subpages, rather like tabs.
(mathematics) An element of a matrix that is used as a focus for row operations, such as dividing the row by the pivot, or adding multiples of the row to other rows making all other values in the pivot column 0.
(Canadian football) A quarterback.
(handball) A circle runner.
(US, politics) A shift during a general election in a political candidate's messaging to reflect plans and values more moderate than those advocated during the primary.

(intransitive) To turn on an exact spot.
To make a sudden or swift change in strategy, policy, etc.
(business slang) To change the direction of a business, usually in response to changes in the market.
(US, politics) To shift a political candidate's messaging during a general election to reflect plans and values more moderate than those advocated during the primary.

Examples of "pivot" in Sentences

The scene is pivotal of the plot.
The scene is pivotal to the plot.
The securing of the Karbala gap was pivotal.
It is pivotal in the history of micronations.
The capture of the bridge at Nasiriyah was pivotal.
It is pivotally attached to the top of the scaffold.
The row containing the pivot is called the pivot row.
This is the pivotal notion of the third consideration.
The event was pivotal in the development of modernism in Brazil.
The center of gravity of the inertia member is below the pivot thereof.
He spoke with pride of accomplishing what he called a "pivot" from the policies of George W. Bush.
Morrissey also notes that this is the second time official white house communications have used the term pivot
The word "pivot" is often batted around in Silicon Valley circles to indicate a change in direction or business model for a company.
Krall noted that against other currencies, the long-term pivot levels at R7. 50 versus the euro and R11. 00 versus the pound will be critical in determining future direction.
"I will tell you how it happened to-night," answered the draper, and as he spoke he turned round, not his long left ear upon the pivot of his skull, but his whole person upon the pivot of the counter -- to misuse the word pivot with Wordsworth -- and bolted the shop-door.