Meaning & use
motor pool
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Meaning
nouncountableAmerican
A collection of vehicles owned by an organization and lent out to staff when needed, often with the garage where they are kept.
Grammar: Countable; usually 'the motor pool' for the fleet, or 'a motor pool' at an organization.
Patterns
- borrow a car from the motor pool
- the motor pool at something
He checked out a truck from the motor pool for the day.
The base motor pool maintains hundreds of vehicles.
Staff must book a car from the motor pool a day ahead.
Word forms
| plural | motor pools |
|---|
Common combinations
- motor pool vehicle
- The inspector arrived in a motor pool vehicle.
- military motor pool
- The military motor pool serviced all the jeeps.
- work in the motor pool
- She worked in the motor pool repairing trucks.
- book from the motor pool
- Book a van from the motor pool for the field trip.
- government motor pool
- The government motor pool replaces cars every five years.
Synonyms and how they differ
- fleet
- Fleet means a group of vehicles under one owner, whereas motor pool stresses that they are shared by staff.
- car pool
- Car pool is an arrangement where private drivers share rides, which is different from vehicles owned by an organization.
- vehicle pool
- Vehicle pool means the same as motor pool but is more neutral and less American.
- garage
- A garage is a building for vehicles, while a motor pool is the group of vehicles, though it often includes the building.
Word family
Commonly confused: motor pool or carpool?
motor pool vs carpool
A carpool is a ride-sharing arrangement among people, while a motor pool is a group of vehicles an organization owns.
Practice
A government worker needs a van for a site visit. Where would she most likely get one?
Choose one answer.
A motor pool lends out organization-owned vehicles. A swimming pool is unrelated and the others do not supply vehicles.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “motor pool”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.