hub

American  

[huhb] / hʌb /

noun

1. the central part of a wheel, as that part into which the spokes are inserted.

2. the central part or axle end from which blades or spokelike parts radiate on various devices, as on a fan or propeller.

3. a center around which other things revolve or from which they radiate; a focus of activity, authority, commerce, transportation, etc..

   Chicago is a railroad hub.

   Synonyms:

   heart, pivot, core

4. the Hub, Boston, Massachusetts (used as a nickname).

5. the peg or hob used as a target in quoits and similar games.

6. any one of the holes in an electrical panel, into which connections may be plugged.

7. Computers. a device connecting others in a network and enabling communication among them by receiving data packets from any of the devices and broadcasting them to every device on the network irrespective of the intended destination: used primarily in small local area networks.

8. Coining. a design of hardened steel in relief, used as a punch in making a die.

9. Surveying. a stake bearing a tack used to mark a theodolite position.

10. Metalworking. a die forced into a metal blank.

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verb (used with object)

hubbed, hubbing

1. Metalworking. to stamp (a metal blank) with a hub.

hub British  

/ hʌb /

noun

1. the central portion of a wheel, propeller, fan, etc, through which the axle passes

2. the focal point

3. computing a device for connecting computers in a network

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Etymology

Origin of hub

First recorded in 1505–15; perhaps variant of hob ¹

Example Sentences

The command hub is kept movie-theater dark so the operators, known as dispatchers, can better study the wall-to-wall screens showing the movement of electricity across the service area.

From The Wall Street Journal

Heathrow Airport said Monday it welcomed more than 84 million travellers last year, a record high amount for the London hub which is set to undergo a major expansion.

From Barron's

Librarian at the facility, Jan McCartney, said: "Libraries nowadays are more than just books, they are community hubs - they are somewhere in a community where everyone is welcome."

From BBC

Through its CKM Health Initiative, the American Heart Association is offering educational tools and an online resource hub to explain how heart, kidney and metabolic health are linked.

From Science Daily

Pet care has been seen as attractive, he says, because of the opportunities "to find efficiencies, to consolidate, set up regional hubs, but also to maximise profits".

From BBC

Related Words

• nerve center