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machine

n. · v.
US //məˈʃin// UK //məʃˈiːn// ma·chine
  1. 1 mechanical device (n.)
    A1 Beginner

    a piece of equipment with moving parts that does a specific job, usually using electricity or an engine.

    an apparatus using mechanical power and having several parts, each with a definite function and together performing a particular task.

    Example

    The washing machine broke down yesterday, so I have to wash my clothes by hand.

    Example

    The factory floor was filled with heavy machines that cut and shaped steel plates with incredible precision.
  2. 2 a computer (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Technical Computing

    a computer or a piece of hardware.

    a computer or similar electronic processing device.

    Example

    I need to restart my machine because the software is running very slowly.

    Example

    The developer spent the afternoon configuring the virtual machine to mirror the production environment exactly.
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  1. 3 efficient person or group (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Humorous Informal

    a person or an organisation that works very hard and very fast without showing emotion.

    a person or organisation that acts with the regularity, speed, or lack of emotion associated with a mechanical device.

    Example

    She is a machine in the gym; she never seems to get tired.

    Example

    The marketing department has become a well-oiled machine, producing high-quality content at an unprecedented rate.
  2. 4 political organisation (n.)
    C1 Advanced Formal Politics

    a powerful group of people who control a political party or a city.

    an efficient and often cynical political organisation that controls votes and administrative appointments.

    Example

    The local political machine has controlled the city council for over thirty years.

    Example

    The candidate struggled to gain traction against the party machine, which had already decided on a preferred successor.
  3. 5 to shape with tools (v.)
    C1 Advanced Technical

    to make or shape something using a machine, especially out of metal.

    to shape, finish, or manufacture a component using machine-controlled tools, typically through subtractive processes like milling or turning.

    Example

    The engine parts are machined to be exactly the right size.

    Example

    Each aerospace component must be machined to extremely tight tolerances to ensure the safety of the aircraft.
Origin

Borrowed from Middle French machine, from Latin māchina (“a machine, engine, contrivance, device, stratagem, trick”), from Doric Greek μᾱχᾰνᾱ́ (mākhănā́), cognate with Attic Greek μηχᾰνή (mēkhănḗ, “a machine, engine, contrivance, device”), from which comes mechanical. Displaced native Old English searu.

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