donkey engine

noun

1. a small auxiliary engine, such as one used for pumping water into the boilers of a steamship

Example Sentences

In connection with this a weapon of war, the Synthetic Freedom Fighter, had been modified; able to function on an alien world, the humanoid robot—strictly speaking, the organic android—had become the mobile donkey engine of the colonization program.

From Literature

But the hull of the vessel was sound; the pumps were in good order, and worked steadily by a “donkey” engine in the engine-room, and the water soon disappeared.

From Project Gutenberg

We baited a big hook, and pulled him in with the donkey engine.

From Project Gutenberg

Start the donkey engine to feed cold water into the boilers. 3d.

From Project Gutenberg

They are towed from the beach to the vessel behind the surf boats, seven and eight at a time, tied together by a rope running through rings called dogs, which are driven into the end of each log, and when alongside, the rope from the donkey engine crane is dropped overboard, and passed round the log by the negroes swimming about in the water regardless of sharks and as agile as fish.

From Project Gutenberg