big end

American  

noun

Machinery.

1. the end of a connecting rod or piston rod that is attached to a crankpin.

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big end British  

noun

1. Also called (in vertical engines): bottom end.  the larger end of a connecting rod in an internal-combustion engine Compare little end

2. the bearing surface between the larger end of a connecting rod and the crankpin of the crankshaft

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Etymology

Origin of big end

First recorded in 1905–10

Example Sentences

Another point he made, on a post-earnings-report conference call with analysts, is that software will actually be a big end user of AI.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 26, 2026

In a break with tradition, Sunak will not be delivering a big end of conference speech to the party faithful on Wednesday.

From BBC • Sep. 29, 2024

The drain wrench has a big end and a smaller end, with prongs on both sides, so you can slip it into different types of drains.

From Washington Post • Sep. 12, 2022

Sweden also played for the big end, blanking the sixth and seventh in a 3-3 game before Canada forced it to take a single point in the eighth.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 17, 2022

“Heavy? One gallon heavy? Why, I’ve carried as much as four gallons clear from that big end tree to the flatboat, and you know it!”

From "Miracles on Maple Hill" by Virginia Sorensen