I. ma ‧ chine 1 S1 W1 /məˈʃiːn/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[ Word Family: noun : ↑ machine , ↑ machinery , ↑ machinist , ↑ mechanic , mechanics, ↑ mechanism , ↑ mechanization ; adjective : ↑ mechanical , ↑ mechanized , ↑ mechanistic ; verb : ↑ machine , ↑ mechanize ; adverb : ↑ mechanically , ↑ mechanistically ]
[ Date: 1500-1600 ; Language: Old French ; Origin: Latin machina , from Greek mechane , from mechos 'way of doing things' ]
1 . a piece of equipment with moving parts that uses power such as electricity to do a particular job
washing/sewing etc machine
Is the washing machine working now?
Could you get me a coffee from the drinks machine?
The fax machine is broken.
switch/turn a machine on/off
Turn the machine off before removing the cover.
by machine
The letters are sorted by machine.
Did you put my dirty shirts in the machine (=washing machine) ?
I left a message for you on your machine (=telephone answering machine) .
The machine wouldn’t let me have any money (=cash machine) .
⇨ ↑ answering machine , ↑ cash machine , ↑ vending machine
2 . a computer:
My machine’s just crashed.
3 . a group of people who control and organize something – often used to show disapproval:
the bureaucrats of the party machine
the government’s propaganda machine
the powerful American war machine
4 . informal a vehicle, especially a ↑ motorbike :
Riders have to learn to handle their machines in all conditions.
That’s a mean machine (=very fast and attractive vehicle) you have there.
5 . a person or animal that does something very well or without having to think about it:
In the tiger, nature has produced the perfect hunting machine.
I’m not a golfing machine. I make mistakes just like anyone else.
6 . someone who seems to behave like a machine and to have no feelings or thoughts SYN automaton
7 . a well-oiled machine something that works very smoothly and effectively:
The office runs like a well-oiled machine.
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ verbs
▪ switch on/turn on a machine
Turn the machine on and slowly add the hot liquid.
▪ switch off/turn off a machine
Is the tape machine switched off?
▪ operate/work a machine
Have you been taught to operate the machine properly?
▪ use a machine
Can you use the copy machine?
▪ a machine operates/works
The machine works using solar power.
▪ install a machine (=put it somewhere and connect it so it can be used)
300 new machines have been installed across the country.
▪ upgrade a machine (=add new and better parts to it or replace it with a better one)
How much will it cost to upgrade the machine?
■ types of machine
▪ a washing machine (=for washing clothes)
Put your dirty clothes straight in the washing machine.
▪ a sewing machine
Can I borrow your sewing machine to make some curtains?
▪ an answering machine (=for recording telephone messages)
There’s a message on the answering machine.
▪ a coffee machine (=for providing cups of coffee)
She was at the coffee machine last time I saw her.
▪ a vending machine (=for supplying drinks, chocolate bars etc)
You can buy hot drinks from the vending machine in the corridor.
▪ a cash/ATM machine (=for giving you money from your bank account)
I need to stop at a cash machine.
▪ a slot machine (=for putting coins in in order to try and win more money)
The casino has 500 slot machines.
▪ a life-support machine (=for keeping a very sick person alive)
He has been on a life-support machine since the accident.
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ machine a piece of equipment with moving parts that uses power such as electricity to do a particular job:
a washing machine
|
an X-ray machine
|
Staff are trained to operate the machine.
▪ appliance formal a machine or piece of electrical equipment, usually a large one, that people use in the home:
The store sells kitchen appliances such as refrigerators, dishwashers, and toasters.
|
We carry out repairs on a range of household appliances.
▪ device a piece of equipment, usually a small electronic one, that does a special job:
electronic listening devices
|
50,000 people downloaded the music to computers or portable devices such as iPods.
|
The device is fitted to the car and can detect stationary objects ahead.
▪ gadget a small, useful, and cleverly-designed tool or machine:
high-tech gadgets
|
He buys all the latest gadgets.
▪ contraption a machine or piece of equipment that looks strange or complicated:
There was a bizarre contraption for polishing the floor.
II. machine 2 BrE AmE verb [transitive]
[ Word Family: noun : ↑ machine , ↑ machinery , ↑ machinist , ↑ mechanic , mechanics, ↑ mechanism , ↑ mechanization ; adjective : ↑ mechanical , ↑ mechanized , ↑ mechanistic ; verb : ↑ machine , ↑ mechanize ; adverb : ↑ mechanically , ↑ mechanistically ]
1 . to fasten pieces of cloth together using a sewing machine
2 . to make or shape something using a machine