Cornstarch (or corn flour) usually works best with water-based sauces, reduced stock, jus from meats, wine sauces, wine-soy-vinegar Chinese sauces, etc. Make a thin paste of cornstarch and water, and stir that into the very warm liquids in the pot or pan. Over-heating or over-cooking will break down the starches.
maintaining, or pertaining to, the same length; of equal dimensions. isometric contraction. muscle contraction without appreciable shortening or change in distance between its origin and insertion. isometric exercise. active exercise performed against stable resistance, without change in the length of the muscle.
When muscle tension changes without any corresponding changes in muscle length, the muscle contraction is described as isometric. If the muscle length changes while muscle tension remains the same, then the muscle contraction is isotonic. In an isotonic contraction, the muscle length can either shorten to produce a concentric contraction or lengthen to produce an eccentric contraction.