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 wheels1. 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.’