machine

noun

/məˈʃiːn/

Idioms

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(often in compounds) a piece of equipment with many parts that work together to do a particular task. The power used to work a machine may be electricity, steam, gas, etc. or human power.
- Machines have replaced human labour in many industries.
- to operate/run a machine
- How does this machine work?
- a washing/sewing machine
- a machine for making plastic toys
- They have installed a new coffee machine in the staff room.
- to invent/design a machine
- In the factory he oversees 14 teams of machine operators.
- by machine The potatoes are planted by machine.
see also answering machine, cash machine, coffee machine, drum machine, flying machine, fruit machine, gaming machine, kidney machine, rowing machine, sewing machine, slot machine, time machine, vending machine, voting machine, war machine (2), wave machine, wind machine
Extra Examples
- The machine runs on solar power.
- What make of machine are they using?
- The machine is designed to fit under a counter.
- Treadmills and other exercise machines help residents to keep fit.
- Machine parts may need to be replaced.
Topics Engineeringa1
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
adjective
- giant
- great
- huge
- …
verb + machine
- operate
- run
- use
- …
machine + verb
- go
- work
- break down
- …
machine + noun
- operator
- parts
- tool
- …
preposition
- by machine
- in a/the machine
- on a/the machine
- …
phrases
- a make of machine
See full entry
a computer
- The new machines will be shipped next month.
- We build machines that process data.
- All machines are connected online to reach specialists in Germany.
(informal) a particular machine, for example in the home, when you do not refer to it by its full name
- Just put those clothes in the machine (= the washing machine).
- Is the machine working again?
an organized system for achieving something and the people who control it
- the president’s propaganda machine
- He played the Republican political machine to get himself into power.
- These years saw a massive growth in the US military machine.
- Hollywood’s slick public relations machine has produced a new improved model of a young movie star.
see also war machine (1)
Extra Examples
- The independent candidates did not have the support of a party machine.
- Tired of being a tiny cog in a vast machine, he handed in his resignation.
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
adjective
- party
- political
- marketing
- …
machine + noun
- politician
- politics
phrases
- a cog in the machine
- a well-oiled machine
See full entry
(often disapproving) a person who acts without thinking and without allowing their feelings to show or to affect their work
- In this movie he plays a lean, mean killing machine.
- He was the perfect fighting machine with a total disregard for his own personal safety.
- This guy is as good as it gets ﹘﹘he's a machine on assignment!
see also mechanical

Word Originmid 16th cent. (originally denoting a structure): from French, via Latin from Doric Greek makhana (Greek mēkhanē, from mēkhos ‘contrivance’).

Idioms

a cog in the machine/wheel

(informal) a person who is a small part of a large organization

machine

verb

/məˈʃiːn/

[transitive, intransitive] (specialist)

Verb Forms

present simple I / you / we / they machine	/məˈʃiːn/ /məˈʃiːn/
he / she / it machines	/məˈʃiːnz/ /məˈʃiːnz/
past simple machined	/məˈʃiːnd/ /məˈʃiːnd/
past participle machined	/məˈʃiːnd/ /məˈʃiːnd/
-ing form machining	/məˈʃiːnɪŋ/ /məˈʃiːnɪŋ/

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machine (something) to make or shape something with a machine
- This material can be cut and machined easily.
Topics Engineeringc2
Word Originmid 16th cent. (originally denoting a structure): from French, via Latin from Doric Greek makhana (Greek mēkhanē, from mēkhos ‘contrivance’).