engine

Definitions

1. 1.Anything used to effect a purpose; any device or contrivance; an agent. Shak. You see the ways the fisherman doth take To catch the fish; what engines doth he make Bunyan. Their promises, enticements, oaths, tokens, and all these engines of lust. Shak.
2. 2.Any instrument by which any effect is produced; especially, an instrument or machine of war or torture. "Terrible engines of death." Sir W. Raleigh.
3. 3.(Mach.) A compound machine by which any physical power is applied to produce a given physical effect. Engine driver, one who manages an engine; specifically, the engineer of a locomotive. -- Engine lathe. (Mach.) See under Lathe. -- Engine tool, a machine tool. J. Whitworth. -- Engine turning (Fine Arts), a method of ornamentation by means of a rose engine. Note: The term engine is more commonly applied to massive machines, or to those giving power, or which produce some difficult result. Engines, as motors, are distinguished according to the source of power, as steam engine, air engine, electro-magnetic engine; or the purpose on account of which the power is applied, as fire engine, pumping engine, locomotive engine; or some peculiarity of construction or operation, as single-acting or double-acting engine, high-pressure or low-pressure engine, condensing engine, etc.
4. 4.To assault with an engine. [Obs.] To engine and batter our walls. T. Adams.
5. 5.To equip with an engine; -- said especially of steam vessels; as, vessels are often built by one firm and engined by another.
6. 6.(Pronounced, in this sense, [Obs.] Chaucer.

Source: Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913 edition (public domain, via GCIDE / Project Gutenberg).

Synonyms

Related questions

• What does "engine" mean?
• What is another word for "engine"?

Reverse-dictionary questions

Definition-first questions whose answer is engine.

• What is any instrument by which any effect is produced; especially, an instrument or machine of war or torture. "Terrible engines of death." Sir W. Raleigh called?
• What is to assault with an engine. [Obs.] To engine and batter our walls. T. Adams called?
• What is to equip with an engine; -- said especially of steam vessels; as, vessels are often built by one firm and engined by another called?
• What is (Pronounced, in this sense, [Obs.] Chaucer called?