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 steam engine

   a petrol 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

You can’t predict what Google or any other search engine will do with its algorithm, but luckily, that’s not your job.

From Search Engine Watch

A follow link is acknowledged by search engines and drives SEO juice for the linked site.

From Search Engine Watch

Now more than ever, consumers are turning to search engines for their every need.

From Search Engine Watch

If you can increase your CTR, it shows search engines that the page is relevant for that search term and it can help your website’s overall search ranking.

From Search Engine Watch

An SEO-friendly URL must be one that’s easy to read for search engines and gives humans the idea of what they are about to click.

From Search Engine Watch

The jet engine instantly brought two advances over propellers: it doubled the speed and it was far more reliable.

From The Daily Beast

An F-35 was destroyed on takeoff earlier in the year when a design flaw in its Pratt & Whitney F135 engine sparked a fire.

From The Daily Beast

Texas has also started to become an engine of economic growth.

From The Daily Beast

Clearly, the least cool people are the most in-demand: the rich folks who power the Art Basel engine.

From The Daily Beast

They not only disrupted service in China, they apparently crashed the search engine worldwide.

From The Daily Beast

It was only the engine drawing the train of cars up to the station to take the passengers away.

From Project Gutenberg

“Mon pauvre petit, you are hungry,” said Aristide, carrying it to the car racked by the clattering engine.

From Project Gutenberg

Adjoining the engine-house on the other side, is the stable, where five splendid horses are kept.

From Project Gutenberg

The huge engine, the wonderful carriages, the imposing guard, the busy porters and the bustling station.

From Project Gutenberg

He hired an engine to plow all his land that was not prepared, besides renting a little more, and also took a flier in wheat.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

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