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camshaft

[kam-shaft, -shahft]
noun
  1. Machinery. a shaft bearing integral cams.
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Origin of camshaft

First recorded in 1875–80;cam1 + shaft
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for camshaft

Historical Examples

  • The cam-shaft is hollow, and serves as a channel for the conveyance of lubricating oil to each of the camshaft bearings.

    A History of Aeronautics

    E. Charles Vivian

  • The camshaft and magneto were driven by the crankshaft through a three-member train of spur gears (see Figures 9, 10 and 11).

  • The camshaft construction was considerably altered from the 1903 design.

British Dictionary definitions for camshaft

camshaft

noun
  1. a shaft having one or more cams attached to it, esp one used to operate the valves of an internal-combustion engine
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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