engine

[ en-juhn ]

noun

1. a machine for converting thermal energy into mechanical energy or power to produce force and motion.
2. a railroad locomotive.
3. a fire engine.
4. Computers. a piece or collection of software that drives a later process (used in combination, as in game engine software engine ). search engine.
5. any mechanical contrivance.
6. a machine or instrument used in warfare, as a battering ram, catapult, or piece of artillery.
7. a means by which something is achieved, accomplished, or furthered:

   Trade is an engine of growth that creates jobs, reduces poverty, and increases economic opportunity.

8. Obsolete. an instrument of torture, especially the rack.

engine

/ ˈɛndʒɪn /

noun

1. any machine designed to convert energy, esp heat energy, into mechanical work

   a petrol engine

   a steam engine

2. 1. a railway locomotive
   2. ( as modifier )

      the engine cab

3. military any of various pieces of equipment formerly used in warfare, such as a battering ram or gun
4. obsolete.
   any instrument or device

   engines of torture

engine

/ ĕn′jĭn /

1. A machine that turns energy into mechanical force or motion, especially one that gets its energy from a source of heat, such as the burning of a fuel. The efficiency of an engine is the ratio between the kinetic energy produced by the machine and the energy needed to produce it.
2. See more at internal-combustion engineSee also motor

Other Words From

• en·gine·less adjective
• mul·ti·en·gine noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of engine¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English engin, from Anglo-French, Old French engign, enging, from Latin ingenium “nature, innate quality, mental power, clever invention,” equivalent to in- “in” + -genium (equivalent to gen- “begetting” + -ium noun suffix); in- ², kin, -ium

Word History and Origins

Origin of engine¹

C13: from Old French engin, from Latin ingenium nature, talent, ingenious contrivance, from in- ² + -genium, related to gignere to beget, produce

Example Sentences

The compounds shed both water and grease and are used in coatings in nonstick cookware, stain-resistant fabrics, and jet engines.

From Science Magazine

The company currently makes diesel engines for vans at its Dagenham factory in Essex.

From BBC

The test concluded a little over an hour later after Starship fired up its engines again and completed a controlled ocean landing more than 3,000 miles away off the northwest coast of Australia.

From Los Angeles Times

It is the default engine in Chrome as well as on many smartphone browsers, including Safari on iPhones.

From BBC

The industry’s dominant web browser — it controls about 61 percent of the U.S. market, according to Bloomberg — is a potent data-collection portal, steering people to the company’s search engine.

From New York Times

Related Words

• appliance
• diesel
• generator
• instrument
• motor
• power plant
• tool
• transformer
• turbine
• weapon