machine

1 of 2

noun

ma·​chine mə-ˈshēn How to pronounce machine (audio)
plural machines
1
a
: a mechanically, electrically, or electronically operated device for performing a task
an espresso machine
The store sold treadmills and other exercise machines.
… manufactures machines for the processing and packaging of pharmaceuticals …Rosie Fitzmaurice
b
: conveyance, vehicle
especially : automobile
Throughout the auto industry, the move is toward bigger engines and seductive ad campaigns pitched at motorists who yearn for the thrill of driving a mean machine. David Pauly et al.
c
: a coin-operated device
a snack machine
d(1)
: an assemblage (see assemblage sense 1) of parts that transmit forces, motion, and energy one to another in a predetermined manner
(2)
: an instrument (such as a lever) designed to transmit or modify the application of power, force, or motion
e
: any of various apparatuses formerly used to produce stage effects
f
: computer
especially : personal computer
You might think that your files are safe on your Mac and Windows machine. But hard drives are not perfect. Data can become corrupted, and it's easy to delete the wrong files by mistake. Andrew Uh
A firm-owned laptop is configured with the security software and applications the user needs to perform their job. Relocating the laptop to the home network preserves the security of the computer, making it safer to use than the typical home machine. Sharon D. Nelson and John W. Simek
2
a
: someone or something that resembles a machine (as in being methodical, tireless, or consistently productive)
… a gifted publicist and quote machineJohn Lancaster
Dan Reeves's Falcons weren't given much of a chance against the Vikings, the top scoring machine of all time.Paul Zimmerman
b(1)
: a combination of persons acting together for a common end along with the agencies they use
The Homefront tells the fascinating story of how America transformed itself in the years 1941-45 from a society mired in depression into a war machine more powerful than any the world had yet known.Stanley Marcus
From the first months of the war, each nation's propaganda machine encouraged its citizens to lionize their aces—those pilots having five or more victories.Howard G. Fisher
If the injustice is part of the necessary friction of the machine of government, let it go, let it go: perchance it will wear smooth …Henry David Thoreau
(2)
: a highly organized political group under the leadership of a boss (see boss entry 1 sense 2) or small group of individuals
a politician who challenged the local party machine
c
: a living organism or one of its functional systems
If fame means parading the inevitable ravages that time and excess wreak on the human machine, I'd just as soon do that in private.Stanley Bing
3
: a literary device or contrivance (such as a supernatural being or event) introduced for dramatic effect
4
a
archaic : a constructed thing whether material or immaterial : structure
… those supporters and pillars, upon whom the frame and machine of the building was grounded …John Stow and Anthony Munday
… with what beauty, art and contrivance, particular creatures are made, and how the several parts of this great machine are fitted to each other, and make a regular and uniform world …William Sherlock
b
archaic : a military engine (such as a catapult)

machine

2 of 2

verb

machined; machining

transitive verb

: to process by or as if by machine
especially : to reduce or finish by or as if by turning, shaping, planing, or milling by machine-operated tools
machinability noun
or less commonly machineability
machinable adjective
or less commonly machineable

Examples of machine in a Sentence

Noun Shovels are tools; bulldozers are machines. Do you know how to operate this machine? The machine is working properly. He was bragging about his new machine. The coach turned the team into a scoring machine. My younger brother is an eating machine. a politician who dared to challenge the local party machine Their army is a well-oiled machine. Verb The parts of the engine have been precisely machined.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
To be on the safe side, check the manufacturer’s instructions before cleaning these machines with vinegar. Stacey Colino, Washington Post, 6 Mar. 2024 John Oates, Hall & Oates Sidekick to: Daryl Hall John Oates brought far more to white-soul hit machine Hall & Oates than just Tom Selleck's spare mustache and an uncanny ability to make Daryl Hall look tall. Ew Staff Updated, EW.com, 6 Mar. 2024 The vending machine scanner told her to check with the retailer, lottery officials said in a Tuesday, March 5, news release. Don Sweeney, Miami Herald, 5 Mar. 2024 Seasons change, apps pivot, and users learn to chase the adrenaline of the future through new and exotic machines of possibility. Jason Parham, WIRED, 5 Mar. 2024 Check here for updates on everything from wait times and long lines to machine malfunctions and more. Cody Copeland, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Mar. 2024 On a recent Friday morning at Chicago’s O’Hare airport, small parcels that had arrived by mail from overseas were on conveyor belts going through X-ray machines for inspection. Didi Tang, Fortune Asia, 4 Mar. 2024 The Panama Project aims to provide a native interoperability API that allows Java code to interact efficiently with data and libraries outside of the Java virtual machine (JVM). Alexander Belokrylov, Forbes, 23 Feb. 2024 The Treasury Department plans to impose more than 500 new sanctions on Russia and its war machine today as the U.S. vows to keep up its financial pressure on Moscow with the war entering its third grueling year. Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 23 Feb. 2024
Verb
Her father, Robert Brace, retired from Ford as a technician who machined engine parts in the dynamometer lab to support engine testing. Detroit Free Press, 11 Jan. 2024 Like all Leupold rifle scopes, it’s designed, machined, and assembled in the USA, and is guaranteed to perform for life. T. Logan Metesh, Field & Stream, 4 Jan. 2024 Made from sturdy 100 percent cotton and thick canvas material, this bag is not only durable but also easy to machine wash and fold for on-the-go convenience. Dhara Patel, Peoplemag, 11 Nov. 2023 Then there’s the turntable’s Keel sub-chassis, which is custom machined from solid aluminum and set into a base available in two colorways: natural wood or white. Robert Ross, Robb Report, 14 July 2023 Moffett’s are mostly sculptures but vary from cleanly machined to roughly collaged. Mark Jenkins, Washington Post, 6 Oct. 2023 The blend of materials creates a lightweight feel that’s easy to machine wash on laundry day. Madison Yauger, Peoplemag, 20 Sep. 2023 On a much larger scale, Tesla’s manufacturing breakthroughs are similar to how Apple switched to a unibody design for its laptops — where the full structure of the product comes from machining one aluminum slab and saves on assembly costs. Umar Shakir, The Verge, 14 Sep. 2023 The plutonium is melted, machined, welded, and inspected. Time, 24 July 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'machine.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle French, from Latin machina, from Greek mēchanē (Doric dialect machana), from mēchos means, expedient — more at may entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

circa 1545, in the meaning defined at sense 4a

Verb

1853, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of machine was circa 1545

Dictionary Entries Near machine

Cite this Entry

“Machine.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/machine. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

machine

1 of 2 noun
ma·​chine mə-ˈshēn How to pronounce machine (audio)
1
b
: a combination of parts that transmit forces, motion, and energy to do some desired work
a sewing machine
c
: an instrument (as a lever or pulley) designed to transmit or change slightly the application of power, force, or motion
2
: an organized group that controls a political party
machinelike
-ˌlīk
adjective

machine

2 of 2 verb
machined; machining
: to shape or finish by machine-operated tools
machinable
mə-ˈshē-nə-bəl
adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on machine

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