engine

Meanings

1. 1nouncountable

   A machine that turns fuel or another energy source into movement or power.

   Grammar: Countable: use a/an and plurals — a powerful engine, two engines.

   Patterns

   • start an engine
   • a car/jet/diesel engine
   • the engine runs/stops

   The mechanic lifted the hood to check the engine.

   This old truck has a diesel engine that still runs perfectly.

   The plane lost one engine during the flight but landed safely.

2. 2nouncountable

   The part of a vehicle that produces the power that makes it move.

   Grammar: Often used with car, bus, boat, plane, etc., before or after the noun.

   Patterns

   • a car engine
   • under the engine
   • engine trouble

   We had engine trouble on the highway and had to pull over.

   She turned the key and the engine started at once.

   A strange noise came from the engine, so he took the car to a garage.

3. 3nouncountablefigurative

   A person or thing that is the main force driving growth or change.

   Grammar: Figurative and usually singular: the engine of something.

   Patterns

   • an engine of growth
   • an engine of change
   • the engine driving something

   Small businesses are the engine of the local economy.

   Education has long been an engine of social change.

   Tourism became the main engine of growth in the region.

4. 4nouncountablecomputing

   A program or piece of software that performs a particular task, such as searching.

   Grammar: Used in computing compounds like search engine and game engine.

   Patterns

   • a search engine
   • a game engine
   • a rendering engine

   Type the phrase into a search engine and see what comes up.

   The game runs on a new graphics engine.

   Developers updated the engine to make the app faster.

Word forms

Common combinations

start the engine

He started the engine and drove slowly out of the parking lot.

a powerful engine

The new model has a more powerful engine than the old one.

engine failure

Engine failure forced the pilot to land in a field.

search engine

I found the article through a search engine.

the engine of growth

Exports have become the engine of growth for the country.

Synonyms and how they differ

motor

Motor usually means a smaller electric device, as in an electric motor, while engine often suggests fuel and more power.

machine

Machine is a much broader word for any device with moving parts; an engine is a specific kind that makes power.

Word family

engineer noun

A person who designs or repairs machines, engines, or structures.

engineering noun

The science and work of designing and building machines and structures.

engined adjective

Having an engine of a stated kind, as in a twin-engined plane.

Commonly confused: engine or motor?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “engine”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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