machine

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]

1 turn, shape, mold, or otherwise finish by machinery

2 make by machinery; "The Americans were machining while others still hand-made cars"

English

Etymology

French and Old French machine, from latinized Greek machina, from Doric Greek μαχανά (makhana) (Ionic Greek μηχανή mekhane) "machine, tool", from μάχος, μήχος (makhos, mekhos) "device, assistance, way".

Pronunciation

Adjective

1. belonging to a machine
2. made by a machine

Noun

1. a mechanical or electrical device that performs or assists in the performance of human tasks, or is used for amusement (like a pinball machine).
2. the group that controls a political or similar organization.
3. a vehicle operated mechanically; an automobile.
4. a person who seemingly acts like a machine, a person who is very proficient at a task.

   Bruce Campbell was a "demon-killing machine" because he made quick work of killing demons.

Derived terms

rel-top Derived terms

• finite state machine
• jet machine
• machinate
• machination
• machinery
• machinist
• machine bolt
• machine code
• machine gun
• machine-gun
• machine language
• machine-made
• machine-readable
• machine screw
• machine shop
• machine tool
• machine translation

Related terms

• deus ex machina
• mechanic
• mechanical
• mechanism

Translations

• Arabic: آلة (’ālla)
• Chinese: 机器, 機器 (jīqì)
• Czech: stroj
• Danish: maskine
• Esperanto: maŝino
• Faroese: maskina
• Finnish: kone
• French: machine
• German: Maschine (1,3,4)
• Greek: μηχανή (mekhane) , μηχανισμός (mekhanizmos)
• Hebrew: מכונה (mekhona)
• Hungarian: gép, szerkezet, masina
• Icelandic: vél
• Ido: mashino
• Italian: macchina
• Japanese: 機械 (きかい, kikai), 機構 (きこう, kikō), 組織 (そしき, soshiki)
• Kurdish: makîne ,
• Latin: machina
• Latvian: mašīna
• Lower Sorbian: mašina
• Malayalam: യന്ത്രം (yanthram)
• Polish: maszyna
• Portuguese: máquina (1,4)
• Russian: машина
• Serbian: stroj
• Slovak: stroj
• Slovene: stroj (1,4)
• Spanish: máquina
• Swedish: maskin
• Yiddish: מאַשין (mashin)

Verb

1. to make by machinery.
2. to shape or finish by machinery.

Translations

• Finnish: koneistaa, työstää
• German: herstellen (1), maschinisieren (2)
• Japanese: 機械加工する (kikai kakou suru)

French

Pronunciation

Noun

fr-noun f

1. machine

Related terms

• machinal
• machiner
• machinisme
• machiniste
• mécanique

The scientific definition of a "machine" (derived from the Latin machina) is any device that transmits or modifies energy. In common usage, the meaning is that of devices having parts that perform or assist in performing any type of work (cf Concise Oxford Dictionary). Machines normally require some energy source ("input") and always accomplish some sort of work ("output"). Devices with no rigid moving parts can be considered tools.

A machine is anything that makes work easier.

People have used mechanisms to, or transform one form of motion or energy into another.

The mechanical advantage of a simple machine is the ratio between the force it exerts on the load and the input force applied. This does not entirely describe the machine's performance, as force is required to overcome friction as well. The mechanical efficiency of a machine is the ratio of the actual mechanical advantage (AMA) to the ideal mechanical advantage (IMA). Functioning physical machines are always less than 100% efficient.

Modern power tools, automated machine tools, and human-operated power machinery are tools that are also machines. Machines used to transform heat or other energy into mechanical energy are known as engines.

Compound machines are composed of more elementary machines called simple machines, such as the wedge and the pulley. Machines are considered simple machines if they perform their action in one movement. These devices may also be used to support industrial applications, although devices entirely lacking rigid moving parts are not commonly considered machines. Hydraulics are widely used in heavy equipment industries, automobile industries, marine industries, aeronautical industries, construction equipment industries, and earthmoving equipment industries.

Types of machines and other devices

References

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