mechanic

B2 · Upper Intermediate Plural noun Academic

n. the way that something works or the steps in a process.

n. the functional parts or logical sequence of a system, often used to describe how a specific process is executed.

“The mechanics of the new voting system are quite easy to understand.”

“Economists are still debating the underlying mechanics of the market crash, specifically how automated trading algorithms accelerated the decline.”

B2 · Upper Intermediate Plural noun Informal

n. the specific rules and actions that players use to interact with a game.

n. the rules and procedures that guide player interaction and determine the outcome within a game system.

“The game has great graphics, but the combat mechanics feel a bit slow.”

“The developers spent months balancing the resource-gathering mechanics to ensure that veteran players didn't have an unfair advantage over newcomers.”

C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Gambling Slang · Technical

n. a person who is very skilled at using their hands to cheat at card games.

n. a person who uses high-level manual dexterity to manipulate playing cards or dice for the purpose of cheating.

“The casino security watched the man closely, suspecting he was a professional mechanic.”

“In the world of underground poker, a skilled mechanic can deal a winning hand to an accomplice without any of the other players noticing the sleight of hand.”

C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Slang

n. a professional killer or assassin.

n. a professional assassin or hitman, often used within the context of organised crime.

“In the movie, the main character is a cold-blooded mechanic for the mob.”

“The crime novel depicts the life of a veteran mechanic who begins to regret his violent career after a job goes wrong.”