axle

American  

[ak-suhl] / ˈæk səl /

noun

1. Machinery. the pin, bar, shaft, or the like, on which or by means of which a wheel or pair of wheels rotates.

2. the spindle at either end of an axletree.

3. an axletree.

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axle British  

/ ˈæksəl /

noun

1. a bar or shaft on which a wheel, pair of wheels, or other rotating member revolves

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Other Word Forms

• axled adjective
• unaxled adjective

Etymology

Origin of axle

before 900; Middle English axel, Old English eaxl shoulder, crossbeam (in eaxle-gespann ); cognate with Old Frisian ax ( e ) le, Old Saxon ahsla, Old High German ahsala shoulder ( German Achsel ), Old Norse ǫxl, Latin āla (< derivative of *akslā )

Example Sentences

F1 decided not to allow teams to recover energy from the front axle, only the rear.

From BBC

Apart from that, the driveline is status quo ante, pretty much, with the logic-controlled mechanical center differential splitting torque between front and rear axles, in ratios determined by acceleration, deceleration, demand and available traction.

From The Wall Street Journal

Norris was not at one with the car, was finding it difficult to feel the front axle when he was trying to take it to the limit in qualifying.

From BBC

Developments over the winter had made the new car faster, but introduced what the drivers called a "numbness" to the front axle, which was preventing Norris' ability to exploit the car.

From BBC

But we had a million pieces: bolts, screws, wheels, axles, brakes.

From The Wall Street Journal