MACHINE


Meaning of MACHINE in English

/ məˈʃiːn; NAmE / noun , verb

■ noun

1.

(often in compounds) a piece of equipment with moving parts that is designed to do a particular job. The power used to work a machine may be electricity, steam, gas, etc. or human power :

Machines have replaced human labour in many industries.

to operate / run a machine

How does this machine work?

a washing / sewing machine

a machine for making plastic toys

I left a message on her answering machine.

The potatoes are planted by machine .

—see also voting machine

2.

( informal ) a particular machine, for example in the home, when you do not refer to it by its full name :

Just put those clothes in the machine (= the washing machine) .

The new machines (= computers) will be shipped next month.

3.

a group of people that control an organization or part of an organization :

the president's propaganda machine

4.

(often disapproving ) a person who acts automatically, without allowing their feelings to show or to affect their work

—see also mechanical , fruit machine , slot machine , time machine

HELP NOTE : You will find other compounds ending in machine at their place in the alphabet.

IDIOMS

see cog

■ verb

( technical ) to make or shape sth with a machine :

[ vn ]

This material can be cut and machined easily.

[also v ]

••

WORD ORIGIN

mid 16th cent. (originally denoting a structure): from French , via Latin from Doric Greek makhana ( Greek mēkhanē , from mēkhos contrivance).

Oxford Advanced Learner's English Dictionary.      Оксфордский английский словарь для изучающик язык на продвинутом уровне.