air brake

American  

noun

1. a brake or system of brakes operated by compressed air.

2. Aeronautics. a device for reducing the air speed of an aircraft by increasing its drag.

3. a device for stopping the sails of a windmill by disrupting the flow of air around them.

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air brake British  

noun

1. a brake operated by compressed air, esp in heavy vehicles and trains

2. Also called: dive brake.  an articulated flap or small parachute for reducing the speed of an aircraft

3. a rotary fan or propeller connected to a shaft to reduce its speed

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Etymology

Origin of air brake

An Americanism dating back to 1870–75

Example Sentences

When Coke was about 4, his mother married A. King McCord, who would become the chairman of the Westinghouse Air Brake Company.

From New York Times

New York Air Brake, which makes train brakes in Watertown, N.Y., imports Chinese iron and steel housings for one of its hydraulic parts.

From Washington Post

The tariffs have eroded New York Air Brake’s profits, crimping its ability to invest in new products and imperiling brake production in its 800-worker plant on the shores of Lake Ontario, said Dalpe, the company’s senior vice president for sales and marketing.

From Washington Post

Union Pacific failed to maintain the rail cars in accordance with federal regulations such as regularly performing single rail car air brake tests, according to the NTSB.

From Washington Times

Just a pair of buttons to turn it on and release the air brake, and I was off.

From New York Times