pivot

[ piv-uht ]

noun

1. a pin, point, or short shaft on the end of which something rests and turns, or upon and about which something rotates or oscillates.
2. the end of a shaft or arbor, resting and turning in a bearing.
3. any thing or person on which something or someone functions or depends vitally:

   He is the pivot of my life.

4. the person in a line, as of troops on parade, whom the others use as a point about which to wheel or maneuver.
5. a whirling about on one foot.
6. a change in policy, opinion, product design, etc., that retains some continuity with its previous version, especially as part of a strategy to appeal to a different audience: the administration’s pivot toward Asia;

   a pivot in public policy;

   the administration’s pivot toward Asia;

   multiple product pivots to reach new consumers.

7. Basketball. the act of keeping one foot in place while holding the ball and moving the other foot one step in any direction, so as not to be charged with traveling.
8. Basketball.
   1. an offensive position in the front court, usually played by the center, in which the player stands facing away from the offensive basket and serves as the pivot of the offense by setting up plays through passing, making screens, and taking shots.
   2. Also called pivotman. the player who plays in the pivot position.
9. Dentistry. (formerly) dowel ( def 4 ).

verb (used without object)

1. to turn on or as on a pivot.
2. Basketball. to keep one foot in place while holding the ball and moving the other foot one step in any direction.
3. to modify a policy, opinion, product, etc., while retaining some continuity with its previous version, especially as part of a strategy to appeal to a different audience: The studio pivoted away from gritty realism to make the film’s sequel more family-friendly.

   The candidate will need to pivot on her unpopular position regarding prescription drug pricing.

   The studio pivoted away from gritty realism to make the film’s sequel more family-friendly.

verb (used with object)

1. to mount on, attach by, or provide with a pivot or pivots.
2. to modify (a policy, opinion, product, etc.) while retaining some continuity with its previous version:

   The start-up was able to pivot the app to a new market without losing too many man-hours of coding.

pivot

/ ˈpɪvət /

noun

1. a short shaft or pin supporting something that turns; fulcrum
2. the end of a shaft or arbor that terminates in a bearing
3. a person or thing upon which progress, success, etc, depends
4. the person or position from which a military formation takes its reference, as when altering position

verb

1. tr to mount on or provide with a pivot or pivots
2. intr to turn on or as if on a pivot

Word History and Origins

Origin of pivot¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; < French, Middle French, Old French “hinge, pivot”; further origin uncertain, perhaps related to Catalan piu, Occitan pivèu “spindle, pivot,” and Provençal pua “tooth on a heckle (flax comb)”

Word History and Origins

Origin of pivot¹

C17: from Old French; perhaps related to Old Provençal pua tooth of a comb

Example Sentences

Albright co-founded Tenderfoot TV —named before its pivot to audio — with filmmaker Payne Lindsey in 2016.

From Digiday

Election officials here believe other states can do similar pivots so they can offer voting by mail — noting that all states already have absentee voting in some form.

From Fortune

Utilising event schema markup, your business can make the pivot towards more online events, whilst standing above the competition in the SERPs through rich results.

From Search Engine Watch

“We operated from a place of holding students harmless for the abrupt pivot, which led us to credit-no credit grading, which in turn created voluntary learning experiences, leading us to focus on engagement and outreach in the fall,” Lawrence said.

From Voice of San Diego

In my work, along with many others, we find that race, gender, immigrant status, group identity in general is not something on the periphery, but is a pillar, is a pivot to how we understand political economy.

From Freakonomics

The political pivot comes when they realize that there could be a world without Hunger Games at all.

From The Daily Beast

As long as Democrats don't mention the clunky word "infrastructure" too much, they should pivot hard to jobs.

From The Daily Beast

Once, a center was called a “pivot man,” with good and clear reason.

From The Daily Beast

But his greatest gifts remain in the classic pivot—close in with his back to the basket.

From The Daily Beast

Paul has generated positive headlines with a pivot away from party orthodoxy in recent months.

From The Daily Beast

Pulling the horse on his haunches, and swinging him round at the same moment as if on a pivot, he made a bound to the left.

From Project Gutenberg

A circular revolving platform rests on the pivot and rollers.

From Project Gutenberg

The bridge is carried on a circular base plate with a central pivot and a circular track for a live ring and conical rollers.

From Project Gutenberg

To this cylinder the door was mortised, their combined weight coming upon the lower pivot.

From Project Gutenberg

Hooker had swung the army up to Fairfax and Centreville, moving on an inner circle, with Washington for a pivot.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• depend
• rotate
• swivel
• twirl
• veer
• whirl