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REFERENCE

mechanical

adj. · n.
US //məˈkænɪkəɫ// UK //mɪkˈænɪkəl// me·chan·i·cal
  1. 1 related to machines (adj.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    connected with machines or how they are made and used.

    relating to the design, construction, and operation of machinery.

    Example

    The car broke down because of a mechanical problem with the engine.

    Example

    The engineers identified a mechanical failure in the cooling system that had caused the entire production line to halt unexpectedly.
  2. 2 automatic or without thought (adj.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    done without thinking, like a machine.

    performed or acting without conscious thought or expression; automatic and often lacking emotion.

    Example

    He gave a mechanical wave to the crowd as he walked past.

    Example

    Her response was entirely mechanical, suggesting she had rehearsed the statement so many times that it no longer held any personal meaning.
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  1. 3 physics of forces (adj.)
    C1 Advanced Academic Technical Science

    related to the branch of science that studies how physical forces affect objects.

    relating to the branch of physics concerned with the motion of bodies and the forces acting upon them.

    Example

    The teacher explained the mechanical energy of a swinging pendulum.

    Example

    The research paper explores the mechanical properties of carbon nanotubes under extreme pressure and temperature conditions.
  2. 4 skilled with machines (adj.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Informal

    good at understanding or fixing machines.

    possessing an innate or developed aptitude for understanding and repairing machinery.

    Example

    My brother is very mechanical and can fix almost anything in the house.

    Example

    Growing up on a farm, she developed a mechanical mind that allowed her to troubleshoot complex irrigation systems without formal training.
  3. 5 equipment failure (n.)
    C1 Advanced Informal Technical Sport

    a situation where a machine or piece of equipment stops working.

    an instance of technical or equipment failure, particularly in a competitive or high-stakes context.

    Example

    The cyclist lost the race after suffering a mechanical on the final hill.

    Example

    Despite a strong start, the driver was forced to retire from the Grand Prix following a terminal mechanical in the third lap.
  4. 6 a manual worker (n.)
    C2 Proficiency Archaic Literary

    a person who does physical work with their hands.

    a manual labourer or artisan; often used in literary contexts to refer to uneducated workers.

    Example

    The play features a group of mechanicals who are trying to put on a show.

    Example

    Shakespeare's 'rude mechanicals' provide comic relief through their earnest but clumsy attempts to perform a classical tragedy for the Duke.
Origin

From Middle English mechanical, mechanicalle, mechanycalle, equivalent to mechanic + -al.

Word family

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