engine

engine
I. noun Etymology: Middle English engin, from Anglo-French, from Latin ingenium natural disposition, talent, from in- + gignere to beget — more at kin Date: 13th century 1. obsolete a. ingenuity b. evil contrivance ; wile 2. a. something used to effect a purpose ; agent, instrument <
mournful and terrible engine of horror and of crime — E. A. Poe
>
b. something that produces a particular and usually desirable result <
engines of economic growth
>
3. a. a mechanical tool: as (1) an instrument or machine of war (2) obsolete a torture implement b. machinery c. any of various mechanical appliances — often used in combination <
fire engine
>
4. a machine for converting any of various forms of energy into mechanical force and motion; also a mechanism or object that serves as an energy source <
black holes may be the engines for quasars
>
5. a railroad locomotive 6. computer software that performs a fundamental function especially of a larger program • engineless adjective II. transitive verb (engined; engining) Date: 1868 to equip with engines

New Collegiate Dictionary. 2001.

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  • Engine — En gine ([e^]n j[i^]n), n. [F. engin skill, machine, engine, L. ingenium natural capacity, invention; in in + the root of gignere to produce. See {Genius}, and cf. {Ingenious}, {Gin} a snare.] 1. Note: (Pronounced, in this sense, [e^]n*j[=e]n .)… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • engine — UK US /ˈendʒɪn/ noun [C] ► a machine that uses energy to produce movement: »a jet engine »a car/aircraft engine ► something that makes something happen, or that influences it strongly: »For much of the 19th century Britain was the workshop of the …   Financial and business terms

  • Engine — En gine, v. t. 1. To assault with an engine. [Obs.] [1913 Webster] To engine and batter our walls. T. Adams. [1913 Webster] 2. To equip with an engine; said especially of steam vessels; as, vessels are often built by one firm and engined by… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Engine —   [dt. »Maschine, Motor«], zentraler Teil eines Programms für grundlegende Teilaufgaben (z. B. Grafik Engine zur Ausgabe der Grafikdaten). Manchmal auch verkürzt für »Search Engine« (Suchmaschine) gebraucht …   Universal-Lexikon

  • engine — ► NOUN 1) a machine with moving parts that converts power into motion. 2) (also railway engine) a locomotive. 3) historical a mechanical device or instrument, especially one used in warfare: a siege engine. DERIVATIVES engined adjective… …   English terms dictionary

  • enginé — Enginé, En Oolin, pour Ensorcelé, Enchanté, Charmé, Fascinatus. Ainsi dit on par metaphore, Il est bien enginé de cette femme, Perbelle captus est …   Thresor de la langue françoyse

  • engine — [en′jən] n. [ME engin, native talent, hence something produced by this < OFr < L ingenium, natural ability, genius < in , in + base of gignere, to beget: see GENUS] 1. any machine that uses energy to develop mechanical power; esp., a… …   English World dictionary

  • engine — c.1300, mechanical device, also skill, craft, from O.Fr. engin skill, cleverness, also trick, deceit, stratagem; war machine (12c.), from L. ingenium inborn qualities, talent (see INGENIOUS (Cf. ingenious)). At first meaning a trick or device, or …   Etymology dictionary

  • engine — *machine, mechanism, machinery, apparatus, motor …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • engine — [n] device that drives a machine agent, apparatus, appliance, barrel, contrivance, cylinder, diesel, dynamo, fan, generator, horses*, implement, instrument, means, mechanism, motor, piston, pot*, powerhouse, power plant, power train, putt putt*,… …   New thesaurus

  • Engine — This article is about a machine to convert energy into useful mechanical motion. For other uses of engine, see Engine (disambiguation). For other uses of motor, see Motor (disambiguation). A V6 internal combustion engine from a Mercedes car An… …   Wikipedia

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