cylinder

[ sil-in-der ]

/ ˈsɪl ɪn dər /

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See synonyms for cylinder on Thesaurus.com

noun

Geometry. a surface or solid bounded by two parallel planes and generated by a straight line moving parallel to the given planes and tracing a curve bounded by the planes and lying in a plane perpendicular or oblique to the given planes.

any cylinderlike object or part, whether solid or hollow.

the rotating part of a revolver, containing the chambers for the cartridges.

(in a pump) a cylindrical chamber in which a piston slides to move or compress a fluid.

(in an engine) a cylindrical chamber in which the pressure of a gas or liquid moves a sliding piston.

(in certain printing presses)

a rotating cylinder that produces the impression and under which a flat form to be printed from passes.
either of two cylinders, one carrying a curved form or plate to be printed from, that rotate against each other in opposite directions.

(in certain locks) a cylindrical device for retaining the bolt until tumblers have been pushed out of its way.

(in a screw or cylindrical gear) an imaginary cylindrical form, concentric to the axis, defining the pitch or the inner or outer ends of the threads or teeth.

Computers. the tracks of a magnetic disk that are accessible from a single radial position of the access mechanism.

Textiles. the main roller on a carding machine, especially the roller covered with card clothing that works in combination with the worker and stripper rollers in carding fibers.

Archaeology. a cylindrical or somewhat barrel-shaped stone or clay object bearing a cuneiform inscription or a carved design, worn by the Babylonians, Assyrians, and kindred peoples as a seal and amulet.

verb (used with object)

to furnish with a cylinder or cylinders.

to subject to the action of a cylinder or cylinders.

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Origin of cylinder

1560–70; <Latin cylindrus<Greek kýlindros roller, cylinder, akin to kylíndein to roll

OTHER WORDS FROM cylinder

cyl·in·der·like, adjective

Words nearby cylinder

Cygnus, Cygnus A, Cygnus X-1, cyke, cyl., cylinder, cylinder barrel, cylinder block, cylinder desk, cylinder front, cylinder glass

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use cylinder in a sentence

Ice cores are cylinders removed from such ice, such as a glacier.
Analyze This: Perfumes from everyday products collect in distant ice|Carolyn Wilke|September 30, 2020|Science News For Students
Anderson filled a cylinder with uncooked rice grains and sealed it off, heating the container while rotating it and increasing the interior pressure.
The Rise and Fall of the Rice Cake, America’s One-Time Favorite Health Snack|Brenna Houck|September 17, 2020|Eater
A little over two years ago, a shipping container-sized cylinder bearing Microsoft’s name and logo was lowered onto the ocean floor off the northern coast of Scotland.
Microsoft Had a Crazy Idea to Put Servers Under Water—and It Totally Worked|Vanessa Bates Ramirez|September 17, 2020|Singularity Hub
Even if Milwaukee was guilty of treating the seeding games like a tune-up, Giannis’s game was still firing on all cylinders.
Who Made The Most Of The NBA Restart?|Neil Paine (neil.paine@fivethirtyeight.com)|August 19, 2020|FiveThirtyEight

In new lab experiments, physicists dropped a cylinder onto this goop.
Physicists foil classic oobleck science trick|Emily Conover|June 9, 2020|Science News For Students
When we step into that cylinder of dry air and certain doom, all we can think is what it will be like when it crashes.
The Malaysian Air Tragedy Reawakens a Primal Fear|Kelly Williams Brown|July 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST
He took a small metal cylinder from his pajama pocket and picked up the guitar.
Stanley Booth on the Life and Hard Times of Blues Genius Furry Lewis|Stanley Booth|June 7, 2014|DAILY BEAST
That cylinder is in a chamber within the satellite, not unlike an astronaut aboard the International Space Station.
The Equivalence Principle and Testing Einstein With Spaceships and Atoms|Matthew R. Francis|June 4, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Agate was widely used to carve high-value objects like signets and cylinder seals in the ancient Near East.
Spain’s New ‘Holy Grail’: Jesus Couldn’t Afford That Kind of Bling|Candida Moss|April 6, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The point of having lots of businesses under one roof is that not every unit will fire on every cylinder in every quarter.
So Long, Washington Post|Daniel Gross|August 5, 2013|DAILY BEAST
I believe you will find this an exceeding good duty for a 5½-inch cylinder engine.
Life of Richard Trevithick, Volume II (of 2)|Francis Trevithick
At Wheal Alfred they have a 64-inch cylinder; the air-pump is 20 inches, and the stroke is half that of the engine.
Life of Richard Trevithick, Volume II (of 2)|Francis Trevithick
A four-way cock near the top of the cylinder turned the steam on and off.
Life of Richard Trevithick, Volume II (of 2)|Francis Trevithick
A flattish cover was bolted on to the top of the boiler, and the cylinder was let down into this top.
Life of Richard Trevithick, Volume II (of 2)|Francis Trevithick
People used to say that she forked the mine better than two of Boulton and Watt's 80-inch cylinder engines.
Life of Richard Trevithick, Volume II (of 2)|Francis Trevithick

British Dictionary definitions for cylinder

cylinder

/ (ˈsɪlɪndə) /

noun

a solid consisting of two parallel planes bounded by identical closed curves, usually circles, that are interconnected at every point by a set of parallel lines, usually perpendicular to the planes. Volume base area × length

a surface formed by a line moving round a closed plane curve at a fixed angle to it

any object shaped like a cylinder

the chamber in a reciprocating internal-combustion engine, pump, or compressor within which the piston movesSee also cylinder block

the rotating mechanism of a revolver, situated behind the barrel and containing cartridge chambers

printing any of the rotating drums on a printing press

Also called: cylinder seal a cylindrical seal of stone, clay, or precious stone decorated with linear designs, found in the Middle East and Balkans: dating from about 6000 bc

Also called: hot-water cylinder British a vertical cylindrical tank for storing hot water, esp an insulated one made of copper used in a domestic hot-water system

firing on all cylinders working or performing at full capability

verb

(tr) to provide (a system) with cylinders

Derived forms of cylinder

cylinder-like, adjective

Word Origin for cylinder

C16: from Latin cylindrus, from Greek kulindros a roller, from kulindein to roll

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

Medical definitions for cylinder

cylinder

[ sĭl′ən-dər ]

The surface generated by a straight line intersecting and moving along a closed plane curve, the directrix, while remaining parallel to a fixed straight line that is not on or parallel to the plane of the directrix.

A solid bounded by two parallel planes and such a surface, especially such a surface having a circle as its directrix.

A cylindrical or rodlike renal cast.

A cylindrical lens.

A cylindrical metal container for gases stored under high pressure.

Scientific definitions for cylinder

cylinder

[ sĭl′ən-dər ]

A three-dimensional surface or solid object bounded by a curved surface and two parallel circles of equal size at the ends. The curved surface is formed by all the line segments joining corresponding points of the two parallel circles.

Other Idioms and Phrases with cylinder

cylinder

see firing on all cylinders.

cylinder

Origin of cylinder

OTHER WORDS FROM cylinder

Words nearby cylinder

Words related to cylinder

How to use cylinder in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for cylinder

Derived forms of cylinder

Word Origin for cylinder

Medical definitions for cylinder

Scientific definitions for cylinder

Other Idioms and Phrases with cylinder