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wheel
wheel
The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English
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2009
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© The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English 2009, originally published by Oxford University Press 2009. (Hide copyright information)
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wheel
/ (h)wēl/
•
n.
1.
a circular object that revolves on an axle and is fixed below a vehicle or other object to enable it to move easily over the ground.
∎
a circular object that revolves on an axle and forms part of a machine.
∎ (the wheel)
used in reference to the cycle of a specified condition or set of events:
the final release from the wheel of life.
∎ (the wheel) hist.
a large wheel used as an instrument of punishment or torture, esp. by binding someone to it and breaking their limbs:
a man sentenced to be broken on the wheel.
2.
a machine or structure having a wheel as its essential part.
∎ (the wheel)
a steering wheel (used in reference to driving or steering a vehicle or vessel):
his crew knows when he wants to take the wheel.
∎
a vessel’s propeller or paddle-wheel.
∎
a device with a revolving disk or drum used in various games of chance.
∎
a system, or a part of a system, regarded as a relentlessly moving machine:
the wheels of justice.
3. (wheels) inf.
a car:
she's got wheels now.
∎
a bicycle.
4.
a thing resembling a wheel in form or function, in particular a cheese made in the form of a disk.
5.
an instance of wheeling; a turn or rotation.
6. inf. short for big wheel.
•
v.
1. [tr.]
push or pull (a vehicle with wheels):
the sea sled was wheeled out to the flight deck.
∎ [tr.]
carry (someone or something) in or on a vehicle with wheels:
a young woman is wheeled into the operating room.
∎ (wheel something in/on/out) inf.
produce something that is unimpressive because it has been frequently seen or heard before:
the old journalistic arguments have to be wheeled out.
2. [intr.]
(of a bird or aircraft) fly in a wide circle or curve:
the birds wheeled and dived.
∎
turn around quickly so as to face another way:
Robert wheeled around to see the face of Mr. Mafouz.
∎
turn or seem to turn on an axis or pivot:
the stars wheeled through the sky.
PHRASES:
on wheels
1.
by, or traveling by, car or bicycle:
a journey on wheels.
∎
(of a service) brought to one's home or district; mobile.
2. inf.
used to emphasize one's distaste or dislike of the person or thing mentioned:
she was a bitch on wheels.
wheel and deal
engage in commercial or political scheming, esp. unscrupulously:
[as n.] (wheeling and dealing)
the wheeling and dealing of the Wall Street boom years. the wheel of Fortune
the wheel that the deity Fortune is fabled to turn as a symbol of random luck or change.wheels within wheels
used to indicate that a situation is complicated and affected by secret or indirect influences.DERIVATIVES: wheeled
adj. [in comb.]
a four-wheeled cart.wheel·less
adj.
ORIGIN: Old English hwēol (noun), of Germanic origin, from an Indo-European root shared by Sanskrit cakra ‘wheel, circle’ and Greek kuklos ‘circle.’
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Spinning Wheel
Book article from: How Products Are Made
...placed on the spinning wheel and even call for spinning wheels of different size or configuration...the traditional spinning wheel. Great wheels with very large driving...primarily used as wire on the wheel. Some spinning wheels use a bit of brass as...
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Ferris Wheel
Book article from: How Products Are Made
...7-m) metal wheel in the 1880s. The race for larger wheels culminated in early...linked with such wheels. One of the people...rode the ferris wheel at the Colombian...outer rim of the wheel itself. Two rubber drive wheels press against the...
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wheel
Book article from: The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English
...car: she's got wheels now. ∎...thing resembling a wheel in form or function...inf. short for big wheel . • v...a vehicle with wheels): the sea sled...she was a bitch on wheels. wheel and deal engage in...
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Grinding Wheel
Book article from: How Products Are Made
Grinding Wheel Background Grinding wheels are made of natural or synthetic...together in a matrix to form a wheel. While such tools may be...to the surface of a metal wheel, are used to make grinding wheels, this discussion is limited...
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water wheel
Book article from: The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition
water wheel device for utilizing the power of flowing or falling water. The Norse wheel is the oldest type known. Despite its name it...where the swift stream required by this type of wheel is common. The Norse wheel has a vertical shaft...
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