Literary notes about pivot (AI summary)
The term "pivot" in literature wears many hats, operating both as a literal mechanical fulcrum and as a metaphor for critical turning points. In certain works, characters or events serve as the central axis around which success or fate turns, illustrating how a single element can determine broader outcomes ([1], [2]). In other passages, the word describes a tangible element—whether a door, a lever, or even an entire mechanism—that facilitates physical movement or change ([3], [4]). Moreover, in narrative contexts, pivotal moments often coincide with strategic shifts, be it in the realm of personal destiny or large-scale military maneuvers ([5], [6]). This dual usage underscores the term's versatility, blending tangible mechanics with abstract, transformative power.
- When all was said and done pretty Polly Peachum was the pivot around which success revolved.
— from Madame FlirtA Romance of 'The Beggar's Opera' by Charles Edward Pearce - At that instant his fate was turning on the pivot.
— from Twice-told tales by Nathaniel Hawthorne - To set the gun, the catch is pressed down so that its hooked end disengages from the stock, and the barrel is bent downwards on pivot P .
— from How it Works by Archibald Williams - Then the slab began to pivot about some central axis, and a one-foot gap was exposed on either side of its bulk.
— from The Secret Martians by Jack Sharkey - For example, in 1796 Verona was an excellent pivot of operations for all Napoleon's enterprises about Mantua for eight months.
— from The Art of War by baron de Antoine Henri Jomini - The scheme of drama requires that Macbeth, like Faustus, shall be the pivot of the play.
— from Shakespeare in the Theatre by William Poel
