/ ˈendʒɪn; NAmE / noun
1.
the part of a vehicle that produces power to make the vehicle move :
a diesel / petrol engine
My car had to have a new engine.
engine trouble
I switched / turned the engine off.
—picture at motorcycle
—see also internal-combustion engine , jet engine , traction engine
2.
(also loco·mo·tive ) a vehicle that pulls a train
3.
-engined (in adjectives) having the type or number of engines mentioned :
a twin-engined speedboat
—see also fire engine , search engine
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WORD ORIGIN
Middle English (formerly also as ingine ): from Old French engin , from Latin ingenium talent, device, from in- in + gignere beget; compare with ingenious . The original sense was ingenuity, cunning (surviving in Scots as ingine ), hence the product of ingenuity, a plot or snare , also tool, weapon , later specifically denoting a large mechanical weapon; which led to the sense a machine (mid 17th cent.), used commonly later in combinations such as steam engine , internal-combustion engine .