air engine

British

noun

an engine that uses the expansion of heated air to drive a piston
a small engine that uses compressed air to drive a piston

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The essentials of the air engine are extremely simple: a "hot space" heated by an external firebox, a "cold space" cooled by water or air, and two pistons.

From Time Magazine Archive

Cuming & Knight 186,312 Hay tedder and side rake, Huber & Snell 186,346 High pressure hot air engine, O. Stenberg 186,377 Hook for drawrods, M.B.

From Scientific American, Volume XXXVI., No. 8, February 24, 1877 A Weekly Journal of Practical Information, Art, Science, Mechanics, Chemistry, and Manufactures. by Various

A. For small powers the hot air engine is most economical, but we do not think it adapted to your purpose.

From Scientific American, Volume XLIII., No. 25, December 18, 1880 A Weekly Journal of Practical Information, Art, Science, Mechanics, Chemistry, and Manufactures. by Various

Which will be best, hot air engine or steam engine?

From Scientific American, Volume XLIII., No. 25, December 18, 1880 A Weekly Journal of Practical Information, Art, Science, Mechanics, Chemistry, and Manufactures. by Various

We passed through the engine room where mechanics were at work on the damaged liquid air engine.

From City of Endless Night by Hastings, Milo M. (Milo Milton)

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023