accelerator

noun

1. 1

   One who, or that which, accelerates.

   The Second World War is said to have been a great accelerator for many scientific findings.

2. 2

   A device for causing acceleration.

3. 3

   A substance which speeds up chemical reactions.

4. 4

   A pedal causing the vehicle to accelerate when it is pressed.

   As soon as you get onto the slipway, push the accelerator.

5. 5

   A chemical that reduces development time.

6. 6

   A device that accelerates charged subatomic particles; a particle accelerator.

7. 7

   A muscle or nerve that speeds the performance of an action.

8. 8

   An accelerator key.

   If they had allowed single-character accelerators, Windows wouldn't be able to determine whether the character was input or a shortcut.

9. 9

   A computer component using dedicated hardware to accelerate the processing and display of graphics.

10. 10

    historicalA light van to take mails between a post office and a railway station.

11. 11

    A mentoring program for startup companies.

    In the nineties, before the accelerator era, startups were usually launched by mid-career engineers or repeat entrepreneurs, who sought millions in venture capital and then labored in secret on something complicated that took years to launch.

Forms

plural

accelerators