Machine

/məˈʃiːn/ · noun

Meaning

A device that directs and controls energy, often in the form of movement or electricity, to produce a certain effect..

Definitions by Sense

1. A device that directs and controls energy, often in the form of movement or electricity, to produce a certain effect.
2. (dated) A vehicle operated mechanically, such as an automobile or an airplane.
3. (telephony, abbreviation) An answering machine or, by extension, voice mail.
4. (computing) A computer.
5. (figuratively) A person or organisation that seemingly acts like a machine, being particularly efficient, single-minded, or unemotional.
6. Especially, the group that controls a political or similar organization; a combination of persons acting together for a common purpose, with the agencies which they use.
7. (poetry) Supernatural agency in a poem, or a superhuman being introduced to perform some exploit.
8. (politics, chiefly US) The system of special interest groups that supports a political party, especially in urban areas.

Example Sentences

An artificial kidney these days still means a refrigerator-sized dialysis machine. Such devices mimic the way real kidneys cleanse blood and eject impurities and surplus water as urine.

As he stood directly beneath a brilliant arc light, waiting for a limousine that was approaching to pass him, he heard his name called in a sweet feminine voice. Looking up, he met the smiling eyes of Olga de Coude as she leaned forward upon the back seat of the machine. He bowed very low in response to her friendly greeting. When he straightened up the machine had borne her away.

As the aviator turned his machine to reconnoitre in the new direction, he was surprised to see the hostile aeroplane between him and his objective.

"Joe, how soon will you be ready to roll?" Frank Hardy burst into the garage where his brother was working on a sleek, black-and-silver motorcycle. "Right now, if this machine kicks over," Joe replied, putting down a wrench.

Now, here, he is a Racer. He throws his leg over the machine and settles onto the narrow rubber seat. He pushes it through its revolution twice with his hand, slowly, to force the fuel into the carburetor. Then he stands with his left foot on the peg and jumps down on the lever with his right. The engine starts immediately; he takes very good care of his machine. He sits down, waiting for it to warm up. He caresses the top of the tank, understanding that the machine cannot feel the gesture but content that he can.

I called you earlier, but all I got was the machine.

Game developers assume they're pushing the limits of the machine.

He refuses to turn off his Linux machine.

Synonyms for machine

Antonyms for machine

Related Words

Word Forms

• machines
• machining
• machined

Usage Notes

Choose a synonym only when it preserves the intended meaning, tone, and grammar of the full sentence.

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