accelerator
- 01 B1 Intermediate
the pedal in a vehicle that you press to make it go faster.
a pedal or lever used to regulate the speed of a vehicle's engine.
Simple“He pressed his foot down on the accelerator to pass the slow truck.”
In context“The driver eased off the accelerator as the vehicle approached the sharp bend in the mountain road.”
UsageCommonly used in British English; American English speakers often prefer 'gas pedal'.
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
a program that helps new businesses grow quickly by providing advice and money.
a fixed-term, cohort-based program that includes mentorship and educational components to accelerate startup growth.
Simple“Their tech startup was accepted into a famous business accelerator in Silicon Valley.”
In context“The venture capital firm launched a new accelerator specifically designed to support green energy innovations in emerging markets.”
Synonyms - 03 C1 Advanced
a large machine that makes tiny particles move at very high speeds.
a device, such as a cyclotron or synchrotron, that accelerates charged subatomic particles to high velocities.
Simple“Scientists use the massive particle accelerator to study the building blocks of the universe.”
In context“The research team utilized the linear accelerator to observe the behavior of electrons under extreme conditions.”
Synonymsparticle accelerator - 04 C1 Advanced
a substance that makes a chemical reaction happen faster.
a substance that increases the rate of a chemical reaction or reduces processing time in photography.
Simple“The builder added an accelerator to the concrete so it would dry faster in the cold weather.”
In context“In traditional film processing, an alkaline accelerator is added to the developer to increase the activity of the reducing agents.”
- 05 C1 Advanced
a piece of computer hardware that makes the system process data or graphics faster.
a hardware component designed to perform specific processing tasks more efficiently than the general-purpose CPU.
Simple“Installing a new graphics accelerator significantly improved the computer's gaming performance.”
In context“The server architecture includes a dedicated hardware accelerator to handle complex cryptographic operations without taxing the main processor.”
Synonymsgraphics cardGPU
“Some reach energies greater than those produced by human-built particle accelerators.”
* First attested in 1611. * (motor vehicle): First attested in 1900. * accelerate + -or
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.