the radiator

Meanings

1. 1nouncountableBritish

   a metal device, often fixed to a wall, that heats a room by circulating hot water or steam

   Grammar: Countable noun; use 'a radiator' for one, 'radiators' for several. Usually used with 'the' when referring to a specific one.

   Patterns

   • turn on the radiator
   • turn off the radiator
   • sit by the radiator

   The cat likes to sleep next to the radiator in winter.

   We turned off the radiator because the room was too hot.

   The radiator in the hallway makes a strange noise.

2. 2nouncountableAmerican

   a device in a vehicle engine that cools the engine by passing air or liquid through it

   Grammar: Countable; often used with 'the' when referring to a car's cooling system.

   Patterns

   • check the radiator
   • the radiator overheats
   • fill the radiator

   The mechanic said the radiator was leaking and needed to be replaced.

   Steam came out of the radiator, so we pulled over.

Word forms

Common combinations

turn on the radiator

It's cold in here; can you turn on the radiator?

radiator leak

A radiator leak can cause the engine to overheat.

bleed a radiator

You should bleed the radiator to release trapped air.

radiator fluid

Check the radiator fluid level before a long drive.

Synonyms and how they differ

heater

A general word for any device that produces heat; a radiator is a specific type, often fixed to a wall.

Word family

radiate verb

to send out heat, light, or energy

radiation noun

energy sent out as rays or particles

Commonly confused: the radiator or radiator vs. heater?

Practice

Make it your own

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

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