Meaning & use
belt drive
Last updated
Meanings
nouncountable
A system that sends power from one wheel or pulley to another using a flexible loop of material.
Grammar: Countable: say a belt drive or belt drives. It often follows the preposition by: driven by a belt drive.
Patterns
- a belt drive system
- driven by a belt drive
- a belt drive connects something to something
The old lathe uses a belt drive to turn the spindle.
A belt drive is quieter than a chain, but it can slip under heavy load.
He replaced the belt drive on the drill press with a new one.
nouncountabletechnical
The part of a machine, such as a bicycle or car engine, that transfers turning force through a belt.
Grammar: Countable and often used with the definite article: the belt drive, the belt drive on the machine.
Patterns
- the belt drive on something
- replace the belt drive
- the belt drive of a machine
The mechanic said the belt drive on the engine needed tightening.
A worn belt drive can cause the whole machine to vibrate.
She opened the cover to inspect the belt drive.
adjectivebefore a nountechnical
Describing a machine or vehicle whose power is carried by a belt rather than by gears or a chain.
Grammar: Used before a noun, as in belt-drive motorcycle. Do not use it after a verb in this sense.
Patterns
- a belt-drive motorcycle
- a belt-drive system
- belt-drive equipment
He rides a belt-drive motorcycle because it needs less oil than a chain-drive one.
The factory installed belt-drive conveyors along the whole line.
Word forms
| plural | belt drives |
|---|
Common combinations
- a belt drive system
- The engineer designed a belt drive system for the new conveyor.
- driven by a belt drive
- The pump is driven by a belt drive from the main motor.
- replace the belt drive
- You should replace the belt drive every two years.
- a belt drive slips
- When the belt drive slips, the machine loses power.
- a belt drive connects something to something
- The belt drive connects the motor to the rear wheel.
Synonyms and how they differ
- belt transmission
- A more formal engineering term for the same idea; it sounds technical and is less common in everyday speech.
- belt system
- A broader phrase that can mean any arrangement of belts, not only one that carries power.
Word family
- belt-driven adjective
- Powered by a belt, as in a belt-driven fan.
- drive belt noun
- The belt itself, rather than the whole system that uses it.
Commonly confused: belt drive or chain drive? belt drive or drive belt?
belt drive vs chain drive
A chain drive uses a metal chain to pass power, while a belt drive uses a flexible belt. Belts are quieter but can slip; chains are stronger but need oil.
belt drive vs drive belt
A drive belt is the loop of material itself; a belt drive is the complete system that uses it.
Practice
Which sentence uses "belt drive" correctly?
Choose one answer.
"Belt drive" is a noun meaning the system that carries power, so "has a belt drive that turns the fan" fits. Option A wrongly uses it as a verb, option C treats it as an action, and option D uses it with an adverb that cannot describe a noun.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “belt drive”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.