hydraulic

American  

[hahy-draw-lik, -drol-ik] / haɪˈdrɔ lɪk, -ˈdrɒl ɪk /

adjective

1. operated by, moved by, or employing water or other liquids in motion.

2. operated by the pressure created by forcing water, oil, or another liquid through a comparatively narrow pipe or orifice.

3. of or relating to water or other liquids in motion.

4. of or relating to hydraulics.

5. hardening under water, as a cement.

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hydraulic British  

/ haɪˈdrɒlɪk /

adjective

1. operated by pressure transmitted through a pipe by a liquid, such as water or oil

2. of, concerned with, or employing liquids in motion

3. of or concerned with hydraulics

4. hardening under water

   hydraulic cement

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hydraulic Scientific  

/ hī-drô′lĭk /

1. Operated by the pressure of water or other liquids. Hydraulic systems, such as hydraulic brakes, allow mechanical force to be transferred along curved paths (through pipes or tubes) that would be difficult for solid mechanisms, such as levers or cables, to negotiate efficiently.

2. Relating to hydraulics.

3. Capable of hardening under water, as cement.

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hydraulic Cultural  

1. A descriptive term for a system operated or moved by a fluid. The hydraulic jack, in which force is transmitted from a handle by means of a heavy oil, is probably the most familiar hydraulic device.

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Other Word Forms

• hydraulically adverb
• nonhydraulic adjective
• unhydraulic adjective

Etymology

Origin of hydraulic

1620–30; < Latin hydraulicus < Greek hydraulikós of a water organ. See hydraulus, -ic

Example Sentences

The 41-year-old hydraulic technician has spent hours riding her purple bicycle around this city in recent weeks, looking for hints of where Nancy Guthrie may have gone.

From The Wall Street Journal

Much of that growth came from unconventional drilling, including hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling from geologic formations such as shale rock.

From MarketWatch

The company, which uses hydraulic fracturing technology to tap the earth’s heat, now has larger projects in the works, including one in Utah that is slated to start producing power this year.

From The Wall Street Journal

Its two submersibles have everything from hydraulic collection arms and suction tubes to high-definition cameras, allowing them to uncover the improbable life found in some of the harshest conditions on Earth.

From Barron's

New technologies such as hydraulic fracturing have turned it from major importer to exporter.

From Barron's