Copyright © Philip M. Parker, INSEAD. Terms of Use.
Definition: Machinery |
MachineryNoun1. Machines or machine systems collectively. 2. A system of means and activities whereby a social institution functions; "the complex machinery of negotiation"; "the machinery of command labored and brought forth an order". Source: WordNet 1.7.1 Copyright © 2001 by Princeton University. All rights reserved. |
Date "machinery" was first used in popular English literature: sometime before 1657. (references) |
Etymology: Machinery \Ma*chin"er*y\, noun. [From Machine: compare to the French expression machinerie.]. (references) |
| Domain | Definition |
Dream Interpretation | To dream of machinery, denotes you will undertake some project which will give great anxiety, but which will finally result in good for you. To see old machinery, foretells enemies will overcome in your strivings to build up your fortune. To become entangled in machinery, foretells loss in your business, and much unhappiness will follow. Loss from bad deals generally follows this dream. Source: Ten Thousand Dreams Interpreted .... |
Fine Arts | Collectively, the mechanical devices used on the stage. Source: European Union. (references) |
Mechanical Engineering | An assembly of linked parts or components, at least one of which moves, with the appropriate actuators, control and power circuits, etc. , joined together for a specific application, in particular for the processing, treatment, moving or packaging of a material. Source: European Union. (references) |
Statistics | Fabricated metal products, machinery and equipment other than transport equipment. Source: European Union. (references) |
| The index measures changes in the producer prices of agricultural and industrial machinery. Source: European Union. (references) | |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
(From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia)
A machine is any mechanical or electrical device that transmits or modifies energy to perform or assist in the performance of human tasks.
Mechanical mechanisms and machines have been in steady use to amplify the abilities of human beings since before written records were available. The primary difference between simple tools and simple mechanisms or machines is a power source and somewhat a independent operation. Modern power tools, automated machine tools, and human operated power machinery complicate this definition greatly.
Simple machines or mechanical components:
Clock
- Bearing
- Gear
- Lever
- Screw
- Spring
- Wedge
- Winch
Compressors and Pumps
- Atomic clock
- chronometer
- Pendulum clock
- Quartz clock
Internal combustion engine
- Archimedes screw
- Eductor-jet pump
- Hydraulic ram
- Tuyau
- Vacuum pump
Turbine
- Gasoline/Petrol engine
- Diesel engine
- Four stroke cycle
- Two stroke cycle
- Wankel engine
Steam engine
- Gas turbine
- jet engine
- Steam turbine
- Water turbine
- wind generator, windmill (Air turbine)
Source: adapted by the editor from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia under a copyleft GNU Free Documentation License (GFDL) from the article "Machine."
Synonym: MachinerySynonym: Machines. (additional references) |
| Context | Synonyms within Context (source: adapted from Roget's Thesaurus). |
Instrument | Noun: machinery, mechanism, engineering. |
| Source: adapted from Roget's Thesaurus. | |
| Domain | Usage | |
Screenplays | Warning: contents may cause drowsiness; do not drive or operate heavy machinery. (The 56th Annual Academy Awards; writing credit: Arthur C. Clarke; Peter Hyams) Geez, what a waste of machinery! (American Graffiti; writing credit: George Lucas ; Gloria Katz) It just bugs me to see somebody abusing a decent piece of machinery. (The Love Bug; writing credit: Gordon Buford; Don DaGradi) | |
Clever | On Boot's Children Cough Medicine: "Do not drive a car or operate machinery after taking this medication. (references; author: unknown) | |
Movie/TV Titles | Testing Cans by Machinery (1901) Stuffing Cans by Machinery (1901) | |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | ||
| Domain | Title | ||
References |
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Periodicals |
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Theater & Movies | |||
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Consumer Goods | |||
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |||
| Thumbnail | Description & Credit | Thumbnail | Description & Credit |
 | Shown is a lab technician performing a step in the estrogen receptor assay test. She is seen with a test tube containing some frozen breast tissue, inserted in a beaker of ice water. She is readying the tube for mixing. The tube is being attached to the appropriate machinery. The technician, wearing rubber gloves and a white lab coat is not visible in all slides. This test determines whether antiestrogen drugs or removal of ovaries is likely to be the effective therapy. Credit: Linda Bartlett (photographer). |  | Pictured here is a computer laboratory with rows of machinery. This technology aids in cancer research. Without it, it would be impossible to store and retrieve the vast amounts of information needed for detailed research projects. Credit: Linda Bartlett (photographer). |
 | Gentle draft horses were used to transport wood to the sensitive regions of the upper river where heavy machinery would have been inappropriate. The horses were less expensive and worked in conjunction with the spyder to minimize disturbance to the stream bed and riparian buffer areas. Credit: NOAA Restoration Center. |  | The draft horses used to haul woody debris at the restoration site were gentle and beautiful as well as less costly than heavy machinery. Credit: NOAA Restoration Center. |
 | Port side of main deck of FISH-HAWK, showing portion of hatching machinery. In: "Report on the Construction and Work in 1880 of United States Fish Commission Steamer FISH-HAWK", by Lieutenant Zera Luther Tanner, U. S. N. United States Commission of Fish and Fisheries. Part IX. Report of the Commissioner for 1881. Plate II, p. 53. Credit: Sailing for Science - the NOAA Fleet Then and Now. |  | Field borders of grass and legumes provide turn strips for farming machinery. They also provide habitat for wildlife, reduce soil erosion, and improve water quality. Northwest Iowa. Credit: Lynn Betts. |
 | Interior, second floor, west side. Photograph by Jet Lowe, September 1981. (Reproduction Number: HABS, COLO, 42-DOL.V,4A-10) This wooden dairy barn, built in 1918, is the largest outbuilding on the Ritter Ranch, once the most technologically advanced ranch in the Lower Dolores Valley of Colorado. Divided crosswise by a central breezeway on the first floor and lengthwise by two rows of wooden poles supporting the roof, the barn has an airy and peaceful hayloft shown here that contrasts sharply with the complicated machinery of the work area below. The barn featured a metal manure car that ran along a track--just one of the many mechanical devices used at this state-of-the-art farm. Credit: Library of Congress. |  | View of the foundry department breaker house. Photograph by Jet Lowe, 1979. (Reproduction Number: HAER, MONT, 12-ANAC.V,1-4) The copper mining town of Anaconda is known for the manufacture and sale of hardware, machinery, and supplies for mining companies. It is also known for its precast building parts and ornaments, such as storefronts and lampposts, made from recycled scrap iron. The Anaconda Reduction Department's breaker house shown here was built around 1900 to break down scrap iron before it was shipped to the furnace for melting and eventual reuse. Credit: Library of Congress. |
 | Caption: Molds and Machinery Used in Construction of Cement Houses; West Orange, NJ; 1911; {08.130/9} (jpg). |  | Tied up astern of USS General Sterling Price, on the Western Rivers during the Civil War. Note derelict machinery in the foreground. Credit: NAVY. |
Source: pictures compiled by the editor from various references; see picture credits. | |||
 |  |
| "Old farming machinery 8" by Gerald Grainger Commentary: "Old, obsolete farming machinery." | "Old farm Machinery" by Chris Turner Commentary: "Just some old farm machinery in it's resting place." |
Source: photographs selected by the editor, with permission from the photographers. | |
| Author | Quotation |
Richard Carlile | Pamphlet-vendors are the most important springs in the machinery of reform. |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references. | |
| Author | Date | Quotation |
Communist Manifesto | 1848 | Thereupon, steam and machinery revolutionised industrial production. (reference) |
Treaty of Versailles | 1919 | Articles, machinery and material arising from the breaking-up of German warships of all kinds, whether surface vessels or submarines, may not be used except for purely industrial or commercial purposes. (reference) |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references. | ||
| Title | Author | Quote |
Sylvie and Bruno Concluded | Carroll, Lewis | She gave it just a touch to set it rocking, and it went on vigorously by itself, as if it contained some hidden machinery. |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references. | ||
| Subject | Topic | Quote |
Health | Don't drive or operate machinery. (references) | |
Viruses are so simple that, in order to reproduce, they need to invade a living cell and use the cell’s machinery. (references) | ||
Many new findings presented at the workshop reflected the ways researchers now study the molecular machinery by which cells operate. (references) | ||
Business | German machinery enjoys good reputation in Poland. (references) | |
Investment in agricultural machinery has grown rapidly. (references) | ||
There is 10% tariff on imported machinery and equipment. (references) | ||
Economic History | Hong Kong | Machinery & Materials/Mould & Die Ind. (references) |
Zimbabwe | One handicap is an outdated machinery base. (references) | |
Lithuania | Exports consist mainly of machinery and food products. (references) | |
Human Rights | Zimbabwe | On December 28, the High Court ruled that Guy Watson-Smith, a farmer, was allowed to retrieve machinery, animals, and other personal property from his farm, which reportedly was seized in December by former army chief Solomon Mujuru and local civil servants. (references) |
Belarus | On June 11, on the Web site of the NGO Charter 97, Petrushkevich charged that Lukashenka fired Bozhelko approximately a week after Bozhelko sent a request to his Russian counterpart asking for machinery designed to search for human bodies that have been buried and that Lukashenka then sent a message to the Russian Procurator General canceling Bozhelko's request for technical assistance. (references) | |
Iraq | In a report released by the U.N. Secretary General on September 13, the U.N. Special Rapporteur criticized the Government for the "sheer number of executions" taking place in the country, the number of "extrajudicial executions on political grounds," and "the absence of a due process of the law." The list of offenses requiring a mandatory death penalty has grown substantially in the past few years and now includes anything that could be characterized as "sabotaging the national economy," including forgery, as well as smuggling cars, spare parts, material, heavy equipment, and machinery. (references) | |
Political Economy | Netherlands | Key industries include chemicals, oil refining, natural gas, machinery, and electronics. (references) |
Czech Republic | Leading exports are machinery and transport equipment, and intermediate manufactured products. (references) | |
COSTA RICA | Surgical and dental instruments and machinery can be sold only to licensed importers and health professionals. (references) | |
Political Rights | India | Similarly, President's Rule may be declared in the event of a collapse of a state's constitutional machinery. (references) |
Trade | Zambia | Duty on productive machinery for agriculture and mining is zero percent. (references) |
Eritrea | Trade samples and machinery, not imported as merchandise, can enter Eritrea tax-free. (references) | |
Travel | Pakistan | Construction companies and contracting firms are allowed to import machinery on a temporary basis upon authorization from the Ministry of Commerce. (references) |
Worker Rights | Uganda | Factories generally are sound, but machinery almost always lacks safeguards. (references) |
Belize | The minimum age for employment is 17 years for work near hazardous machinery. (references) | |
Lexicography | Devil's Dictionary | EXECUTIVE, n. An officer of the Government, whose duty it is to enforce the wishes of the legislative power until such time as the judicial department shall be pleased to pronounce them invalid and of no effect. Following is an extract from an old book entitled, The Lunarian Astonished -- Pfeiffer & Co., Boston, 1803: LUNARIAN: Then when your Congress has passed a law it goes directly to the Supreme Court in order that it may at once be known whether it is constitutional? TERRESTRIAN: O no; it does not require the approval of the Supreme Court until having perhaps been enforced for many years somebody objects to its operation against himself -- I mean his client. The President, if he approves it, begins to execute it at once. LUNARIAN: Ah, the executive power is a part of the legislative. Do your policemen also have to approve the local ordinances that they enforce? TERRESTRIAN: Not yet -- at least not in their character of constables. Generally speaking, though, all laws require the approval of those whom they are intended to restrain. LUNARIAN: I see. The death warrant is not valid until signed by the murderer. TERRESTRIAN: My friend, you put it too strongly; we are not so consistent. LUNARIAN: But this system of maintaining an expensive judicial machinery to pass upon the validity of laws only after they have long been executed, and then only when brought before the court by some private person -- does it not cause great confusion? TERRESTRIAN: It does. LUNARIAN: Why then should not your laws, previously to being executed, be validated, not by the signature of your President, but by that of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court? TERRESTRIAN: There is no precedent for any such course. LUNARIAN: Precedent. What is that? TERRESTRIAN: It has been defined by five hundred lawyers in three volumes each. So how can any one know? |
Source: compiled by the editor from ICON Group International, Inc.; see credits. | ||
| Speaker | Term | Phrase(s) |
James Monroe | 1817-1825 | The capital employed in them is considerable, and the knowledge acquired in the machinery and fabric of all the most useful manufactures is of great value. |
Andrew Jackson | 1829-1837 | A part of the effect, too, is doubtless owing to an increase of operatives and improvements in machinery. |
Harry S. Truman | 1945-1953 | Farm machinery and supplies are expected to be available in larger volume, and farm labor problems will be less acute. |
Dwight Eisenhower | 1953-1961 | Only an alert and knowledgeable citizenry can compel the proper meshing of the huge industrial and military machinery of defense with our peaceful methods and goals, so that security and liberty may prosper together. |
Gerald Ford | 1974-1977 | Again, I wish my successor, working with a substantial majority of his own party, the best of success in reforming the costly and cumbersome machinery of the Federal Government. |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references. | ||
| "Machinery" is generally used as a noun (singular) -- approximately 96.96% of the time. "Machinery" is used about 2,434 times out of a sample of 100 million words spoken or written in English. Its rank is based on over 700,000 words used in the English language. Some parts-of-speech are not covered due to the samples used by the British National Corpus. (note: percents less than one-hundredth of one percent have been omitted) |
| Parts of Speech | Percent | Usage per 100 Million Words | Rank in English |
| Noun (singular) | 96.96% | 2,360 | 3,774 |
| Noun (proper) | 2.95% | 72 | 39,377 |
| Noun (common) | 0.08% | 2 | 245,945 |
| Total | 100.00% | 2,434 | N/A |
Source: compiled by the editor from several corpora; see credits.
| Country | Name | Country | Name |
| China | Beiren Printing Machinery | Hong Kong | Cosmos Machinery Enterprises Ltd. |
| Japan | Fuji Machinery Company Limited | South Korea | Daekyung Machinery & Engineering Corporation Limited |
| Taiwan | Teco Electric & Machinery Co., Ltd. | ||
| (more examples...) |
Source: compiled by the editor from Icon Group International, Inc.
Expressions using "machinery": agricultural machinery ♦ association for Computing Machinery ♦ auxiliary machinery ♦ Disengaging machinery ♦ Engaging and disengaging machinery ♦ farming machinery ♦ gear or machinery ♦ machinery guarding ♦ party machinery ♦ periodically unattended machinery space ♦ piece of machinery ♦ stabilizing machinery ♦ stage machinery ♦ ventilating machinery ♦ watering machinery ♦ woodworking machinery. Additional references. | |
| Hyphenated Usage | |
Beginning with "machinery": machinery-of-government. | |
Ending with "machinery": ex-machinery, non-machinery, pre-machinery, printing-machinery, textile-machinery. | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
| The following statistics estimate the number of searches per day across the major English-language search engines as identified by various trade publications. Hyperlinks lead to commercial use of the expression at Amazon.com. |
| Language | Translations for "machinery"; alternative meanings/domain in parentheses. | |
Albanian | mekanizëm (action, clockwork, device, gear, machine, mechanism, wheel, work), makineri (capital goods, enginery), makinë (adder, car, engine, machine, motor, motor car, tool), detal (detail), aparat (apparatus, device, machine, mechanism, player). (various references) | |
Arabic | مكننة (mechanization), مكائن, الآلية, الآلا ت كوحدة وظيفية. (various references) | |
Bulgarian | организационен апарат, механизъм (action, assembly, contrivance, device, gear, machine, mechanism, motion, movement, works), машинария (enginery), машини (enginery). (various references) | |
Chinese | 机械 (mechanical), 機械裝置 . (various references) | |
Czech | stroje (enginery). (various references) | |
Danish | maskine (engine, machine), maskinanlæg, værktøj (means, tool), remedier (artillery, business, factory, kit, outfit, rig, tools, works), fixesæt (artillery, business, factory, kit, outfit, rig, tools, works). (various references) | |
Dutch | machinerieën. (various references) | |
Esperanto | maŝinaro. (various references) | |
Farsi | ماشین ها, تشکیلات وسازمان , دستگاه (Apparatus, Appurtenance, Machine, Mechanism, Plant, Set, System). (various references) | |
Finnish | koneisto (mechanism, works), koneet ja laitteet, koneet. (various references) | |
French | machinerie (stage machinery). (various references) | |
German | Maschinerie (piece of machinery), maschinen (engines, machines, object). (various references) | |
Greek | μέσα για την λήψη ναρκωτικών (artillery, business, factory, outfit, tools, works), μηχανικόσ εξοπλισμόσ (mechanial equipment), μηχανισμόσ (device, gear, mechanism), μηχανήματα (machines), μηχανή (engine, locomotive, machine, motor, motorbike, motorcycle), εργαλεία (gear, tools). (various references) | |
Hebrew | מכונות, מנגנון (apparatus, gear, mechanism, organism, personnel, staff). (various references) | |
Hungarian | gépezet (device, enginery, machine, mechanism), szervezet (constitution, establishment, frame, institution, labour organization, organism, organization), szerkezet (architecture, arrester, arrestor, build, conformation, construction, contraption, contrivance, device, dodge, fabric, framework, gear, gimmick, hanger, hitch, layout, mechanism, movement, pulling device, rig, sealing, set-up, structure, substructure, texture), mechanizmus (action, mechanism, train). (various references) | |
Indonesian | mesin (engine, machine, munition). (various references) | |
Italian | macchinario (equipment, fly, plant, tackle), macchina (car, engine, machine, motor, motorcar). (various references) | |
Japanese Kanji | 機材 (equipment, machine parts). (various references) | |
Japanese Katakana | きざい (equipment, equipment and materials, implement, machine parts, tool, tools and materials, utensil). (various references) | |
Korean | 기계장치 (mechanism). (various references) | |
Manx | saase (contrivance, device, resource), jeshaghtys (instrumentation). (various references) | |
Norwegian | maskineri. (various references) | |
Pig Latin | achinerymay.(various references) | |
Portuguese | maquinaria (enginery). (various references) | |
Romanian | mecanism (action, contrivance, device, engine, gear, gearing, gimmick, machine, mechanism, motion, technique, work), maşini, maşinãrie (enginery, mechanism, plant, work), utilaj (appointment, equipment, harness, installation, outfit, stock in trade, tools), structurã (cast, composition, constitution, contexture, fabric, frame, lattice, make, make up, organization, pattern, skeleton, state, structure), organ de maşinã, instalaţii mecanice, combinaţie (combination, compound, contrivance, intrigue, join, joinder, plan, scheme, temper). (various references) | |
Russian | структура (composition, contexture, fabric, frame, framework, organization, pattern, set up, structure), оборудование (appointments, bigticket, equipment, fit-out, installation, layout, operational materials, outfit, stock in trade, tackle), механизмы, механизм (assembly, device, gear, machine, mechanism, motion), машины (enginery), машинное оборудование. (various references) | |
Serbo-Croatian | mašinerija, mašina (engine, machine), aparat (apparatus, device). (various references) | |
Spanish | maquinaria (enginery, plant). (various references) | |
Swedish | maskiner. (various references) | |
Turkish | mekanizma (contraption, fitting, machine, mechanism), makinalar. (various references) | |
Ukrainian | устаткування (equipment, outfit, stock in trade), машини (enginery), деталі машини. (various references) | |
Vietnamese | máy móc (automatic, automatical, enginery, machine, mechanism), máy cách cấu tạo. (various references) | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various translation references. | ||
Derivations | |
Words ending with "machinery": turbomachinery. (additional references) | |
| |
"Machinery" is suggested in spellcheckers for the following: Aachener, Macehiter, machinary, machinaryy, machinerie, Macindeor, Macwhinney, Maghaberry, Mchenry, Mcinery, Mitchener, mnchener, Mohinder, Mokhiber, munchener. (additional references) | |
| Source: compiled by the editor, based on several corpora (additional references). | |
| # of Phoneme Matches | Pronunciation | Word(s) rhyming with "machinery" (pronounced mishē"nerē or mishē"nrē) |
| 4 | -ē" n er ē | greenery, scenery. |
| 3 | -n er ē | binary, cannery, chicanery, joinery, fernery, finery, gunnery, nunnery, ornery, plenary, refinery, winery. |
| 3 | -n r ē | citizenry, falconry, freemasonry, Henry, masonry, weaponry. |
Source: compiled by the editor (additional references); see credits. | ||
Scrabble® Enable2K-Verified Anagrams | |
| Words within the letters "a-c-e-h-i-m-n-r-y" | |
-1 letter: chairmen. | |
-2 letters: archine, carmine, chimera, chimney, harmine, hyaenic, hymenia, machine, marchen. | |
-3 letters: achier, airmen, anemic, cahier, cairny, carmen, carney, carnie, chaine, chimar, chimer, cinema, creamy, enrich, haemic, haemin, harmin, hermai, hernia, hyenic, iceman, inarch, manche, marine, menhir, mincer, myrica, remain, richen. | |
-4 letters: aimer, amice, amine, amnic, anime, areic, cairn, caner, carny, ceria, chain, chair. | |
| Words containing the letters "a-c-e-h-i-m-n-r-y" | |
+1 letter: hypermanic. | |
+3 letters: hydromancies. | |
+4 letters: hydromagnetic, hyperromantic, thermodynamic. | |
+5 letters: cholestyramine, cinematography, enharmonically, hydromechanics, hypermasculine, thermodynamics, turbomachinery. | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. SCRABBLE® is a registered trademark. All intellectual property rights in and to the game are owned in the U.S.A and Canada by Hasbro Inc., and throughout the rest of the world by J.W. Spear & Sons Limited of Maidenhead, Berkshire, England, a subsidiary of Mattel Inc. Mattel and Spear are not affiliated with Hasbro. | |
| 1. Definition 2. Synonyms 3. Crosswords 4. Usage: Modern | 5. Usage: Commercial 6. Images: Slideshow 7. Images: Photo Album 8. Images: Digital Art | 9. Quotations: Familiar 10. Quotations: Historic 11. Quotations: Fiction 12. Quotations: Non-fiction | 13. Quotations: Speeches 14. Usage Frequency 15. Names: Company Usage 16. Expressions | 17. Expressions: Internet 18. Translations: Modern 19. Derivations 20. Rhymes | 21. Anagrams 22. Bibliography |
Copyright © Philip M. Parker, INSEAD. Terms of Use.
