brake shoe

American  

noun

1. a rigid plate, usually of steel in the shape of an arc of a cylinder, coated on the outside of its curved surface with a friction-producing material and tightened against the inside of a brake drum to produce a braking action.

2. (on a bicycle) one of two metal blocks holding rubber pads that, when the hand brake is activated, press against the rotating wheel to produce a braking action.

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brake shoe British  

noun

1. the curved metal casting to which the brake lining is riveted in a drum brake

2. the curved metal casting together with the attached brake lining

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Etymology

Origin of brake shoe

An Americanism dating back to 1870–75

Example Sentences

Railroads use the devices to detect failing wheel bearings, brake shoe problems, side-to-side weight imbalances and wheelset defects, according to the U.S.

From Washington Post • Feb. 10, 2022

The Goldstream fire 30 miles west of Fairbanks was started by sparks from a train's hot brake shoe, and an artillery shell fired in military maneuvers is believed to have started the Salcha fire.

From Time Magazine Archive

Sean Hamblin also had a tough night, getting sucked into the back wheel of another rider's bike, where he became a human brake shoe until the rider finally stopped.

From Time Magazine Archive

Mrs. Shofner did not like the cut of the brake shoe, patented a better one, sold her tidy little business for $200,000 in 1937.

From Time Magazine Archive

"Looks like a brake shoe on the new-model hand-cars," he said, swinging it viciously with one hand.

From John Henry Smith A Humorous Romance of Outdoor Life by Adams, Frederick Upham