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1. The concentration of attention or energy on something
   "the focus of activity shifted to molecular biology";
   - focusing, focussing, focal point, direction, centering [US], centring [Brit, Cdn]
    
2. Special emphasis attached to something
   "the focus was more on accuracy than on speed";
   - stress
    
3. Maximum clarity or distinctness of an image rendered by an optical system
   "in focus"; "out of focus"
    
4. Maximum clarity or distinctness of an idea
   "the controversy brought clearly into focus an important difference of opinion"
    
5. A central point or locus of an infection in an organism
   "the focus of infection";
   - focal point, nidus
    
6. A point of convergence of light (or other radiation) or a point from which it diverges
   - focal point
    
7. A fixed reference point on the concave side of a conic section
    
8. (computing) the active element in a user interface, typically where user input will appear on screen
   "when you click a text box, it gets the input focus"

1. Hold attention and exert mental effort on something
   "Please focus on your studies and not on your hobbies";
   - concentrate, center [US], centre [Brit, Cdn], pore, rivet, pore over
    
2. Cause to converge on or toward a central point
   "Focus the light on this image"
    
3. [Brit] Bring into focus or alignment; to converge or cause to converge; of ideas or emotions
   - concenter [US], concentre [Brit, Cdn], focalize, focalise [Brit]
    
4. Become focussed or come into focus
   "The light focused";
   - focalize, focalise [Brit]
    
5. Put (an image) into focus
   "Please focus the image; we cannot enjoy the movie";
   - focalize, focalise [Brit], sharpen

Derived forms: focused, foci, focuses, focusses, focusing

Type of: absorption, accent, adapt, adjust, align, aline [non-standard], cerebrate, clarity, clearness, cogitate, concentration, conform, correct, distinctness, emphasis, engrossment, immersion, limpidity, line up, lucidity, lucidness, pellucidity, point, set, sharpen, sharpness, think

Antonym: blur

Part of: focal infection

Encyclopedia: Focus