# mechanic

/məˈkænɪk/ (US) · /mɪkˈænɪk/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/mechanic
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. vehicle repairer

noun · CEFR A2

someone whose job is to repair and maintain machines, especially the engines of cars and other vehicles.

For teachers: a technician who repairs and maintains machinery, particularly the internal combustion engines and mechanical systems of motor vehicles.

- I took my car to the mechanic because the engine was making a strange noise.
- The lead mechanic diagnosed the transmission failure within minutes, noting that the previous owner had neglected routine maintenance for several years.

### 2. system or process

noun · CEFR B2 · Academic

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

For teachers: 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.

### 3. game rules

noun · CEFR B2 · Informal

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

For teachers: 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.

### 4. card cheat

noun · CEFR C2 · Slang · Technical

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

For teachers: 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.

### 5. hitman

noun · CEFR C2 · Slang

a professional killer or assassin.

For teachers: 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.

## Examples

- The mechanic fixes my car in two hours.
- After the engine started making a strange clicking sound, I took the truck to a local mechanic for an inspection.
- A master mechanic must possess not only manual dexterity but also a deep understanding of complex diagnostic software to troubleshoot modern hybrid vehicles effectively.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.