chain drive

American

noun

a driving mechanism transmitting power by means of an endless chain.

chain drive British

noun

engineering a chain of links passing over sprockets that transmits rotation from one shaft to another

"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

Other Word Forms

chain-driven

adjective

Etymology

Origin of chain drive

First recorded in 1900–05

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.

See Examples For:

chain drive

“Our ports are the backbone of our economy — critical hubs that support our supply chain, drive commerce, create jobs and connect us all,” said EPA Administrator Michael Regan, who visited the port in March.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 29, 2024

Monsieur Lallement was soon to patent his invention, which still lacked the gears and chain drive of a modern bicycle.

From BBC ● Apr. 29, 2019

It looked much like modern bicycles do, with a chain drive, equally-sized wheels, and a diamond frame.

From BBC ● Apr. 29, 2019

Its '41s range from one to 45 tons, include gasoline or Diesel power, shaft or chain drive, four or six wheels.

From Time Magazine Archive

Donovan tried to press the broken fork back onto the chain drive.

From "Ungifted" by Gordon Korman

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