Properly used, the term "gravitate" derives from a stricter usage than you give it credit for (unless I'm misinterpreting your point).
Gravity is, after all, the mutual attractive force between any two massive objects. Gravity, of course, rather than making things "fall", makes them move toward one another. And what does my dictionary say?
Yup.
You're misinterpreting the scientific term. I'm not using the word in any sense but the scientific sense. When two masses are drawn towards each other via the force of gravity, it is "gravitation". Its in the etymology of the word, derived from its root.
When you hear two astrophysicists talking about the drawing of two celestial bodies together, the term often used is "gravitate". You would not say the planets, for example, are "falling" towards each other.
This is to disambiguate the perceived act of "falling", and the totality of "gravity".
This is actually pointing out my entire point far better than you give it credit for here. Either you or Eye (Especially georg jetson).
These are SCIENTIFIC terms, and the inability to embrace them as such because you are used to them being used in normal vernacular is a major hold-up to actually understanding them for what they are.
When we use "gravity" in everyday conversation, it is actually meant to convey seriousness of a situation.
When we use "gravitation/gravitate" in every day conversation, they are used to define the "drawing of individuals together".
When you use "gravity" in science, you are talking about:
F = G × [(m1m2)/r²].
When you use "gravitation" in science, you are using it to describe a specific drawing together of masses effected upon by the force of "gravity".
When you use "gravitate" in science, it is used to describe the motion of two masses under the influence of "gravity".
However, in all cases, they are not in their root form, UNLESS they are being used to describe:
F = G × [(m1m2)/r²].
This is so perfectly pointing out the problem with two separate strict meanings, but for the purpose of scientific application, only gravity meaning
F = G × [(m1m2)/r²] matters.
This is just like, I mean exactly, how people do not understand the term "theory" in its strict, scientific application.
Oh, and:
gravitate
Verb
1 move toward; "The conversation gravitated towards politics"
2 be attracted to; "Boys gravitate towards girls at that age"
3 move due to the pull of gravitation; "The stars gravitate towards each other"
One of these is more precise than the others. One of these is used to describe the motion of stellar objects with mass being drawn to each other.
The others are more interesting in social settings, and not likely a function of actual gravity, but behaviors or actions actually caused by something else other than gravity.
I know some of you have dated fat chicks, but not all of you could have been drawn literally to a larger mass.
:lol::banana: