Meaning

A fuel derived from petroleum (or other oils) but heavier than gasoline/petrol. Used to power diesel engines which burn this fuel using the heat produced when air is compressed..

Definitions by Sense

1. A fuel derived from petroleum (or other oils) but heavier than gasoline/petrol. Used to power diesel engines which burn this fuel using the heat produced when air is compressed.
2. (countable) A vehicle powered by a diesel engine.
3. Ellipsis of diesel engine.
4. (cycling, slang) A rider who has an even energy output, without bursts of speed.
5. (UK, slang) Synonym of snakebite and black.
6. (slang) A particular cannabis hybrid.
7. To ignite a substance by using the heat generated by compression.
8. (automotive) For a spark-ignition internal combustion engine to continue running after the electrical current to the spark plugs has been turned off. This occurs when there's enough heat in the combustion chamber to ignite the air and fuel mixture without a spark, the same way that heat and pressure cause ignition in a diesel engine.

Example Sentences

His next truck will be a diesel.

Their next engine design will be a diesel.

Thumbed a diesel down, outside a cafe.

The only reason the VW bug has a solenoid is to prevent it from dieseling.

Word Forms

• diesels
• dieseling
• dieselling
• dieseled
• dieselled

Synonyms for diesel

Related Words

When Should You Use Diesel?

Use diesel when its meaning, tone and grammar fit the full sentence. A synonym is not always a direct replacement.

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