simulator
n.-
1 training machine (n.) B2 Upper Intermediatea machine that copies the feeling of a real vehicle or environment, used to train people like pilots or drivers.
a physical or digital apparatus that emulates a specific environment, typically used for professional training where real-world practice is dangerous or expensive.
ExampleThe pilot spent fifty hours in a flight simulator before he was allowed to fly a real plane.
ExampleMedical students now use a surgical simulator to practice delicate procedures before they ever enter a real operating theatre.
UsageOften used with a modifying noun like 'flight', 'driving', or 'combat'.
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2 realistic game (n.) B2 Upper Intermediate Computinga type of video game that tries to copy real life as closely as possible.
a genre of software or video game that prioritises the realistic reproduction of a specific activity or system.
ExampleHe loves playing a farming simulator where he has to manage crops and tractors.
ExampleThe latest racing simulator offers such realistic physics that professional drivers use it to learn new tracks during the off-season.
Teacher's tipIn gaming culture, this is frequently shortened to 'sim'.
- arcade game
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3 a person who fakes (n.) C2 Proficiency Formalsomeone who pretends to have a feeling or a physical condition.
an individual who feigns a state, emotion, or physical symptom, often for the purpose of deception.
ExampleThe doctor suspected the patient was a simulator who just wanted to avoid going to work.
ExampleThe investigator had to distinguish between a genuine victim and a clever simulator attempting to claim insurance money.
UsageThis sense is much rarer than the technical or gaming senses.