What does "wheel" mean?

1. (circular object for movement) a round object that turns around a center point to help a vehicle move or a machine work. 2. (steering wheel) the round handle you use to steer a car or a ship. 3. (an influential person) an important or powerful person in an organization. 4. (a round of cheese) a large, round block of cheese. 5. (to push something on wheels) to move someone or something that is sitting on wheels. 6. (to turn or pivot) to turn around quickly or move in a circle.

wheel — meaning, definition & examples

Word

01circular object for movement

A2 · Elementary Countable noun

n. a round object that turns around a center point to help a vehicle move or a machine work.

n. a circular component that rotates on an axle, used to facilitate movement or to transmit power in machinery.

“The bicycle has two wheels made of metal and rubber.”

“The heavy cart was difficult to move because one of its wooden wheels had become stuck in the deep mud.”

Synonyms

disk hoop

02steering wheel

B1 · Intermediate Countable noun

n. the round handle you use to steer a car or a ship.

n. the steering wheel of a vehicle or the helm of a ship, used to control direction.

“Keep both hands on the wheel while you are driving.”

“The captain stood at the wheel, navigating the vessel through the narrow channel as the storm approached.”

Synonyms

steering wheelhelm

03an influential person

C1 · Advanced Countable noun Informal

n. an important or powerful person in an organization.

n. an individual possessing significant power or influence within a specific hierarchy or social circle.

“His uncle is a big wheel in the local government.”

“She managed to secure the contract by networking with the big wheels of the tech industry at the annual conference.”

Synonyms

leader VIPbigwig

Antonyms

nobody

04a round of cheese

B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun Cooking

n. a large, round block of cheese.

n. a whole, uncut portion of cheese formed into a cylindrical shape.

“The shop sells a whole wheel of Parmesan cheese for a high price.”

“The deli displayed a massive wheel of aged cheddar on the counter to attract customers.”

Synonyms

round block

05to push something on wheels

B1 · Intermediate

v. to move someone or something that is sitting on wheels.

v. to transport a person or object using a wheeled vehicle or device, such as a trolley or wheelchair.

“The nurse will wheel the patient into the operating room.”

“The waiters began to wheel the dessert trolleys through the dining room, offering a variety of cakes to the guests.”

Synonyms

pushtrundletransport

06to turn or pivot

B2 · Upper Intermediate

v. to turn around quickly or move in a circle.

v. to turn or pivot suddenly on the spot, or to move in a circular path.

“The birds began to wheel in the sky above the field.”

“He wheeled around to face his accuser, his expression shifting from surprise to anger in an instant.”

Synonyms

pivot spin whirl

From Middle English whel, from Old English hwēol, from Proto-West Germanic hwehwl, from Proto-Germanic hwehwlą, hweulō, from Proto-Indo-European kʷekʷlóm, kʷékʷlos, kʷékʷléh₂, reduplication of *kʷel- (“to turn”) and a suffix (literally "(the thing that) turns and turns"). See also West Frisian tsjil, Dutch wiel, Danish hjul; also Tocharian B kokale (“cart, wagon”), Ancient Greek κύκλος (kúklos, “cycle, wheel”), Avestan 𐬗𐬀𐬑𐬭𐬀 (caxra), Sanskrit चक्र (cakrá); and Latin colō (“to till, cultivate”), Tocharian A and Tocharian B käl- (“to bear; bring”), Ancient Greek πέλω (pélō, “to come into existence, become”), Old Church Slavonic коло (kolo, “wheel”), Albanian sjell (“to bring, carry, turn around”), Avestan 𐬗𐬀𐬭𐬀𐬌𐬙𐬌 (caraⁱti, “it circulates”), Sanskrit चरति (cárati, “it moves, wanders”). Doublet of chakra, chakram, charkha, chukker, cycle, cyclus, and kike.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

NOUN

wheel(A2)

ADJECTIVE