brake shoe

noun

1. a rigid plate, usually of steel in the shape of an arc of a cylinder, coated on the outside of its curved surface with a friction-producing material and tightened against the inside of a brake drum to produce a braking action.

2. (on a bicycle) one of two metal blocks holding rubber pads that, when the hand brake is activated, press against the rotating wheel to produce a braking action.

brake shoe

noun

1. the curved metal casting to which the brake lining is riveted in a drum brake

2. the curved metal casting together with the attached brake lining

Word History and Origins

Origin of brake shoe¹

An Americanism dating back to 1870–75

Example Sentences

In drum brakes, friction is generated by brake shoes pressing against the interior of a rotating drum.

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Railroads use the devices to detect failing wheel bearings, brake shoe problems, side-to-side weight imbalances and wheelset defects, according to the U.S.

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We don't adjust the valves or replace the ignition points or brake shoes on our cars.

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Power is generated through coasting and braking, so a hybrid’s brake shoes tend to last longer.

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At the Kenwood Rail Yard in Albany, inspectors examined 120 crude oil tank cars and found three defective wheels and three defective brake shoes.

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