engine

[ en-juhn ]

noun

1. a machine for converting thermal energy into mechanical energy or power to produce force and motion.
2. a railroad locomotive.
3. a fire engine.
4. Computers. a piece or collection of software that drives a later process (used in combination, as in game engine software engine ). search engine.
5. any mechanical contrivance.
6. a machine or instrument used in warfare, as a battering ram, catapult, or piece of artillery.
7. a means by which something is achieved, accomplished, or furthered:

   Trade is an engine of growth that creates jobs, reduces poverty, and increases economic opportunity.

8. Obsolete. an instrument of torture, especially the rack.

engine

/ ˈɛndʒɪn /

noun

1. any machine designed to convert energy, esp heat energy, into mechanical work

   a petrol engine

   a steam engine

2. 1. a railway locomotive
   2. ( as modifier )

      the engine cab

3. military any of various pieces of equipment formerly used in warfare, such as a battering ram or gun
4. obsolete.
   any instrument or device

   engines of torture

engine

/ ĕn′jĭn /

1. A machine that turns energy into mechanical force or motion, especially one that gets its energy from a source of heat, such as the burning of a fuel. The efficiency of an engine is the ratio between the kinetic energy produced by the machine and the energy needed to produce it.
2. See more at internal-combustion engineSee also motor

Other Words From

• en·gine·less adjective
• mul·ti·en·gine noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of engine¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English engin, from Anglo-French, Old French engign, enging, from Latin ingenium “nature, innate quality, mental power, clever invention,” equivalent to in- “in” + -genium (equivalent to gen- “begetting” + -ium noun suffix); in- ², kin, -ium

Word History and Origins

Origin of engine¹

C13: from Old French engin, from Latin ingenium nature, talent, ingenious contrivance, from in- ² + -genium, related to gignere to beget, produce

Example Sentences

Two Orpheus jet engines are to be refurbished as part of the plans to get Bluebird running again.

From BBC

The Justice Department is trying to make consumers more aware of choices outside of Google, the world’s most popular search engine.

From Los Angeles Times

Jet engines are one of the most jaw-dropping feats of engineering humans have ever come up with.

From BBC

That Google be stopped from paying companies like Apple to be the default search engine on their devices, an arrangement that netted the iPhone maker as much as $1 billion a month by 2021.

From New York Times

“And it will help keep the economic engine of Southern California running, regardless of the future drought conditions we may face.”

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• appliance
• diesel
• generator
• instrument
• motor
• power plant
• tool
• transformer
• turbine
• weapon