Get Affordable VMs - excellent virtual server hosting


browse words by letter
a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z

machinemore about machine

machine


  6  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Machine  \Ma*chine"\,  n.  [F.,  fr  L.  machina  machine,  engine, 
  device,  trick,  Gr  ?,  from  ?  means  expedient.  Cf 
  {Mechanic}.] 
  1.  In  general,  any  combination  of  bodies  so  connected  that 
  their  relative  motions  are  constrained,  and  by  means  of 
  which  force  and  motion  may  be  transmitted  and  modified,  as 
  a  screw  and  its  nut,  or  a  lever  arranged  to  turn  about  a 
  fulcrum  or  a  pulley  about  its  pivot,  etc.;  especially,  a 
  construction,  more  or  less  complex,  consisting  of  a 
  combination  of  moving  parts  or  simple  mechanical 
  elements,  as  wheels,  levers,  cams,  etc.,  with  their 
  supports  and  connecting  framework,  calculated  to 
  constitute  a  prime  mover,  or  to  receive  force  and  motion 
  from  a  prime  mover  or  from  another  machine,  and  transmit, 
  modify,  and  apply  them  to  the  production  of  some  desired 
  mechanical  effect  or  work  as  weaving  by  a  loom,  or  the 
  excitation  of  electricity  by  an  electrical  machine. 
 
  Note:  The  term  machine  is  most  commonly  applied  to  such 
  pieces  of  mechanism  as  are  used  in  the  industrial  arts, 
  for  mechanically  shaping,  dressing,  and  combining 
  materials  for  various  purposes,  as  in  the  manufacture 
  of  cloth,  etc  Where  the  effect  is  chemical,  or  other 
  than  mechanical,  the  contrivance  is  usually  denominated 
  an  apparatus,  not  a  machine;  as  a  bleaching  apparatus. 
  Many  large  powerful,  or  specially  important  pieces  of 
  mechanism  are  called  engines;  as  a  steam  engine,  fire 
  engine,  graduating  engine,  etc  Although  there  is  no 
  well-settled  distinction  between  the  terms  engine  and 
  machine  among  practical  men,  there  is  a  tendency  to 
  restrict  the  application  of  the  former  to  contrivances 
  in  which  the  operating  part  is  not  distinct  from  the 
  motor. 
 
  2.  Any  mechanical  contrivance,  as  the  wooden  horse  with  which 
  the  Greeks  entered  Troy;  a  coach;  a  bicycle.  --Dryden. 
  --Southey.  --Thackeray. 
 
  3.  A  person  who  acts  mechanically  or  at  will  of  another. 
 
  4.  A  combination  of  persons  acting  together  for  a  common 
  purpose,  with  the  agencies  which  they  use  as  the  social 
  machine. 
 
  The  whole  machine  of  government  ought  not  to  bear 
  upon  the  people  with  a  weight  so  heavy  and 
  oppressive.  --Landor. 
 
  5.  A  political  organization  arranged  and  controlled  by  one  or 
  more  leaders  for  selfish,  private  or  partisan  ends 
  [Political  Cant] 
 
  6.  Supernatural  agency  in  a  poem,  or  a  superhuman  being 
  introduced  to  perform  some  exploit.  --Addison. 
 
  {Elementary  machine},  a  name  sometimes  given  to  one  of  the 
  simple  mechanical  powers.  See  under  {Mechanical}. 
 
  {Infernal  machine}.  See  under  {Infernal}. 
 
  {Machine  gun}.See  under  {Gun.} 
 
  {Machine  screw},  a  screw  or  bolt  adapted  for  screwing  into 
  metal,  in  distinction  from  one  which  is  designed 
  especially  to  be  screwed  into  wood. 
 
  {Machine  shop},  a  workshop  where  machines  are  made  or  where 
  metal  is  shaped  by  cutting,  filing,  turning,  etc 
 
  {Machine  tool},  a  machine  for  cutting  or  shaping  wood,  metal, 
  etc.,  by  means  of  a  tool;  especially,  a  machine,  as  a 
  lathe,  planer,  drilling  machine,  etc.,  designed  for  a  more 
  or  less  general  use  in  a  machine  shop,  in  distinction  from 
  a  machine  for  producing  a  special  article  as  in 
  manufacturing. 
 
  {Machine  twist},  silken  thread  especially  adapted  for  use  in 
  a  sewing  machine. 
 
  {Machine  work},  work  done  by  a  machine,  in  contradistinction 
  to  that  done  by  hand  labor. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Machine  \Ma*chine"\,  v.  t.  [imp.  &  p.  p.  {Machined};  p.  pr  & 
  vb  n.  {Machining}.] 
  To  subject  to  the  action  of  machinery;  to  effect  by  aid  of 
  machinery;  to  print  with  a  printing  machine. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Molding  \Mold"ing\,  Moulding  \Mould"ing\,  p.a. 
  Used  in  making  a  mold  or  moldings;  used  in  shaping  anything 
  according  to  a  pattern. 
 
  {Molding,  or  Moulding},  {board}. 
  a  See  {Follow  board},  under  {Follow},  v.  t. 
  b  A  board  on  which  bread  or  pastry  is  kneaded  and  shaped. 
 
 
  {Molding,  or  Moulding},  {machine}. 
  a  (Woodworking)  A  planing  machine  for  making  moldings.  ( 
  b  )  (Founding)  A  machine  to  assist  in  making  molds  for 
  castings. 
 
  {Molding,  or  Moulding},  {mill},  a  mill  for  shaping  timber. 
 
  {Molding,  or  Moulding},  {sand}  (Founding),  a  kind  of  sand 
  containing  clay,  used  in  making  molds. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Electric  \E*lec"tric\,  Electrical  \E*lec"tric*al\,  a.  [L. 
  electrum  amber,  a  mixed  metal,  Gr  ?;  akin  to  ?  the  beaming 
  sun,  cf  Skr.  arc  to  beam,  shine:  cf  F.  ['e]lectrique.  The 
  name  came  from  the  production  of  electricity  by  the  friction 
  of  amber.] 
  1.  Pertaining  to  electricity;  consisting  of  containing, 
  derived  from  or  produced  by  electricity;  as  electric 
  power  or  virtue;  an  electric  jar;  electric  effects;  an 
  electric  spark. 
 
  2.  Capable  of  occasioning  the  phenomena  of  electricity;  as 
  an  electric  or  electrical  machine  or  substance. 
 
  3.  Electrifying;  thrilling;  magnetic.  ``Electric  Pindar.'' 
  --Mrs.  Browning. 
 
  {Electric  atmosphere},  or  {Electric  aura}.  See  under  {Aura}. 
 
 
  {Electrical  battery}.  See  {Battery}. 
 
  {Electrical  brush}.  See  under  {Brush}. 
 
  {Electric  cable}.  See  {Telegraph  cable},  under  {Telegraph}. 
 
 
  {Electric  candle}.  See  under  {Candle}. 
 
  {Electric  cat}  (Zo["o]l.),  one  of  three  or  more  large  species 
  of  African  catfish  of  the  genus  {Malapterurus}  (esp.  {M. 
  electricus}  of  the  Nile).  They  have  a  large  electrical 
  organ  and  are  able  to  give  powerful  shocks;  --  called  also 
  {sheathfish}. 
 
  {Electric  clock}.  See  under  {Clock},  and  see 
  {Electro-chronograph}. 
 
  {Electric  current},  a  current  or  stream  of  electricity 
  traversing  a  closed  circuit  formed  of  conducting 
  substances,  or  passing  by  means  of  conductors  from  one 
  body  to  another  which  is  in  a  different  electrical  state. 
 
 
  {Electric,  or  Electrical},  {eel}  (Zo["o]l.),  a  South  American 
  eel-like  fresh-water  fish  of  the  genus  {Gymnotus}  ({G. 
  electricus}),  from  two  to  five  feet  in  length,  capable  of 
  giving  a  violent  electric  shock.  See  {Gymnotus}. 
 
  {Electrical  fish}  (Zo["o]l.),  any  fish  which  has  an 
  electrical  organ  by  means  of  which  it  can  give  an 
  electrical  shock.  The  best  known  kinds  are  the  torpedo, 
  the  gymnotus,  or  electrical  eel,  and  the  electric  cat.  See 
  {Torpedo},  and  {Gymnotus}. 
 
  {Electric  fluid},  the  supposed  matter  of  electricity; 
  lightning. 
 
  {Electrical  image}  (Elec.),  a  collection  of  electrical  points 
  regarded  as  forming,  by  an  analogy  with  optical  phenomena, 
  an  image  of  certain  other  electrical  points,  and  used  in 
  the  solution  of  electrical  problems.  --Sir  W.  Thomson. 
 
  {Electrical  light},  the  light  produced  by  a  current  of 
  electricity  which  in  passing  through  a  resisting  medium 
  heats  it  to  incandescence  or  burns  it  See  under  {Carbon}. 
 
 
  {Electric,  or  Electrical},  {machine},  an  apparatus  for 
  generating,  collecting,  or  exciting,  electricity,  as  by 
  friction. 
 
  {Electric  motor}.  See  {Electro-motor},  2. 
 
  {Electric  osmose}.  (Physics)  See  under  {Osmose}. 
 
  {Electric  pen},  a  hand  pen  for  making  perforated  stencils  for 
  multiplying  writings.  It  has  a  puncturing  needle  driven  at 
  great  speed  by  a  very  small  magneto-electric  engine  on  the 
  penhandle. 
 
  {Electric  railway},  a  railway  in  which  the  machinery  for 
  moving  the  cars  is  driven  by  an  electric  current. 
 
  {Electric  ray}  (Zo["o]l.),  the  torpedo. 
 
  {Electric  telegraph}.  See  {Telegraph}. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  machine 
  n  1:  any  mechanical  or  electrical  device  that  transmits  or 
  modifies  energy  to  perform  or  assist  in  the  performance 
  of  human  tasks 
  2:  an  intricate  organization  that  accomplishes  its  goals 
  efficiently;  "the  war  machine" 
  3:  an  efficient  person;  "the  boxer  was  a  magnificent  fighting 
  machine" 
  4:  4-wheeled  motor  vehicle;  usually  propelled  by  an  internal 
  combustion  engine;  "he  needs  a  car  to  get  to  work"  [syn:  {car}, 
  {auto},  {automobile},  {motorcar}] 
  5:  a  group  that  controls  the  activities  of  a  political  party; 
  "he  was  endorsed  by  the  Democratic  machine"  [syn:  {political 
  machine}] 
  6:  a  device  for  overcoming  resistance  at  one  point  by  applying 
  force  at  some  other  point  [syn:  {simple  machine}] 
  v  1:  turn,  shape,  mold,  or  otherwise  finish  by  machinery 
  2:  make  by  machinery 
 
  From  The  Free  On-line  Dictionary  of  Computing  (13  Mar  01)  [foldoc]: 
 
  machine 
 
  Common  term  for  "computer",  usually  when  considered  at  the 
  hardware  level.  The  {Turing  Machine},  an  early  example  of 
  this  usage,  was  however  neither  hardware  nor  software,  but 
  only  an  idea. 
 
  [Earlier  use?] 
 
  (1995-02-15) 
 
 




more about machine