machinery

American  

[muh-shee-nuh-ree] / məˈʃi nə ri /

noun

plural

machineries

1. an assemblage of machines or mechanical apparatuses.

   the machinery of a factory.

2. the parts of a machine, collectively.

   the machinery of a watch.

3. a group of people or a system by which action is maintained or by which some result is obtained.

   the machinery of government.

   Synonyms:

   setup, structure, organization

4. a group of contrivances for producing stage effects.

5. the group or aggregate of literary machines, especially those of supernatural agency epic machinery in an epic poem.

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machinery British  

/ məˈʃiːnərɪ /

noun

1. machines, machine parts, or machine systems collectively

2. a particular machine system or set of machines

3. a system similar to a machine

   the machinery of government

4. literary devices used for effect in epic poetry

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Other Word Forms

• antimachinery adjective

Etymology

Origin of machinery

First recorded in 1680–90; machine + -ery

Example Sentences

“The Magnitsky investigation, which has been at the heart of major journalistic exposés over the past decade, exposed the machinery of Russian money laundering,” he said.

From Barron's

“Our entire war machinery — missiles, radar, fighter jets — all need these heavy rare earths,” O’Connor said.

From Los Angeles Times

Across India, the quiet machinery of automation has been reshaping - and in many cases, eliminating - the jobs that the middle class was built on.

From BBC

The Indian scam, now common across the country, involves Hollywood-level production that mimics the machinery of the state, tricking people with fake police stations and courtrooms.

From The Wall Street Journal

Keeping the kilns hot means plants operate around-the-clock -- and emergency shutdowns can damage machinery.

From Barron's

Related Words

• apparatus
• appliance
• engine
• equipment
• gear
• instrument
• motor
• system
• tool
• utensil
• vehicle