hydraulic fluid

noun

1. a fluid, usually of low viscosity, as oil, used in a hydraulic system.

Word History and Origins

Origin of hydraulic fluid¹

First recorded in 1940–45

Example Sentences

Instead of regular hydraulic fluid, food-grade vegetable oil fills the hydraulic cylinders powering the “O” lifts — so they don’t contaminate the water in case of a leak.

From Los Angeles Times

Investigators said Friday they found hydraulic fluid leaking from a hose in the landing gear system of a FedEx plane that was forced to make an emergency landing this month in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

From Seattle Times

An FAA environmental assessment of the spacecraft notes that some stages of the rocket used kerosene as fuel, which is toxic to breathe; the assessment also notes over 100 gallons of hydraulic fluid in the rocket, which is often hazardous.

From Salon

Finally, once in 2019 and again in 2021, the agency sent crews there and ran DNA tests on bone fragments found deep underground, which still smelled of hydraulic fluid decades later, said Mark Khan, a researcher of military history.

From New York Times

Internal documents from airlines and aircraft manufacturers provide detailed instructions for identifying oil and hydraulic fluid contamination in the air supply by smells like “dirty socks,” “musty” and “acrid,” The Times found.

From Los Angeles Times