mechanic
- 01 A2 Elementary
someone whose job is to repair and maintain machines, especially the engines of cars and other vehicles.
a technician who repairs and maintains machinery, particularly the internal combustion engines and mechanical systems of motor vehicles.
Simple“I took my car to the mechanic because the engine was making a strange noise.”
In context“The lead mechanic diagnosed the transmission failure within minutes, noting that the previous owner had neglected routine maintenance for several years.”
Synonyms - 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
the way that something works or the steps in a process.
the functional parts or logical sequence of a system, often used to describe how a specific process is executed.
Simple“The mechanics of the new voting system are quite easy to understand.”
In context“Economists are still debating the underlying mechanics of the market crash, specifically how automated trading algorithms accelerated the decline.”
- 03 B2 Upper Intermediate
the specific rules and actions that players use to interact with a game.
the rules and procedures that guide player interaction and determine the outcome within a game system.
Simple“The game has great graphics, but the combat mechanics feel a bit slow.”
In context“The developers spent months balancing the resource-gathering mechanics to ensure that veteran players didn't have an unfair advantage over newcomers.”
Synonymsrulesgameplay - 04 C2 Proficiency
a person who is very skilled at using their hands to cheat at card games.
a person who uses high-level manual dexterity to manipulate playing cards or dice for the purpose of cheating.
Simple“The casino security watched the man closely, suspecting he was a professional mechanic.”
In context“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.”
Synonymscardsharpcheat - 05 C2 Proficiency
a professional killer or assassin.
a professional assassin or hitman, often used within the context of organised crime.
Simple“In the movie, the main character is a cold-blooded mechanic for the mob.”
In context“The crime novel depicts the life of a veteran mechanic who begins to regret his violent career after a job goes wrong.”
Synonymsassassinhitman
From Middle English mekanyk (“mechanical”), from Old French mecanique, from Latin mechanicus (“of or belonging to machines or mechanics, inventive”), from Ancient Greek μηχανικός (mēkhanikós, “pertaining to machines or contrivance, mechanic, ingenious, inventive”), from μηχανή (mēkhanḗ, “a machine, contrivance”); see machine.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.