head

en-noun

head (countable and uncountable, plural heads or head)

heads (plural)
head (plural)
heed (alternative obsolete)
hed (alternative obsolete)
'ead (alternative UK pronunciation-spelling)

→ Japanese: ヘッド (heddo)

Sranan Tongo: ede

Aukan: ede

Saramaccan: hédi

Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *kap-
Proto-Indo-European *káput-
Proto-Germanic *haubudą
Old English hēafod
Middle English heed
English head
From Middle English hed, from Old English hēafd-, hēafod (“head; top; chief”), from Proto-West Germanic *haubud, from Proto-Germanic *haubudą (“head”), from Proto-Indo-European *káput.
The modern word comes from Old English oblique stem hēafd-; the expected Modern English outcome for hēafod would be *heaved (similar to the Middle English word). Doublet of cape, capo, caput, chef, chief, and Howth.
Cognate with Scots heid, hede, hevid, heved (“head”), Old English hafola (“head”), North Frisian hood (“head”), Dutch hoofd (“head”), German Haupt (“head”), Swedish huvud (“head”), Danish hoved (“head”), Icelandic höfuð (“head”), Latin caput (“head”), Sanskrit कपाल (kapāla, “skull”), Hindi कपाल (kapāl, “skull”).

頭

つぶり, tsuburi, つぃぶる, tsiburu, つぃぶるぃ, tsiburi

pää

have one's head screwed on the right way

know one's head from a hole in the ground

run around like a chicken with its head cut off

would lose one's head if it wasn't attached

would lose one's head if it wasn't bolted on

would lose one's head if it wasn't glued on

would lose one's head if it wasn't screwed on

would lose one's head if it wasn't stuck on

would lose one's head if it wasn't tied on

would lose one's head if it weren't attached

you can't put an old head on young shoulders

you can't put a wise head on young shoulders

internal combustion engine
internal combustion engine

(countable) The topmost, foremost, or leading part.

(countable) The principal operative part of a machine or tool.

(automotive) The cylinder head, a platform above the cylinders in an internal combustion engine, containing the valves and spark plugs.


pumpkin

en-noun

pumpkin (countable and uncountable, plural pumpkins)

Tok Pisin: pamkin

→ Big Nambas: pavkin

→ Irish: puimcín

→ Japanese: パンプキン (panpukin)

→ Marshallese: baan̄ke

→ Scottish Gaelic: puimcean

Alteration of pompion, pumpion (“pumpkin”) with the diminutive -kin, from Middle French pompon, from Latin pepō (whence English pepo), from Ancient Greek πέπων (pépōn, “large melon”), from πέπων (pépōn, “ripe”), from πέπτω (péptō, “ripen”).
The alternative theory that it may be from Massachusett pôhpukun (“grows forth round”) is false.
The automotive sense is by fancied resemblance.

noncog

(informal, automotive) The housing for a differential, built into an axle of a vehicle; the housing and its contents.


LDP

(US, automotive) Initialism of limited driving privilege.


point

en-noun

point (countable and uncountable, plural points)

→ Cantonese: point

→ Indonesian: poin

→ Japanese: ポイント (pointo)

→ Korean: 포인트 (pointeu)

→ Malay: poin

From Middle English poynt, from Old French point m (“dot; minute amount”), from Latin pūnctum (“a hole punched in; a point, puncture”), substantive use of pūnctus m, perfect passive participle of pungō (“I prick, punch”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *pewǵ- (“prick, punch”)); alternatively, from Old French pointe f (“sharp tip”), from Latin pūncta f (past participle). Mostly displaced native Middle English ord (“point”), from Old English ord (“point”). Doublet of pointe, ponto, puncto, punctum, punt, and punto.

kärki

position at the front or vanguard of an advancing force

decimal point

not used when reading decimal fractions aloud

A small discrete division or individual feature of something.

(automotive, chiefly in the plural) Either of the two metal surfaces in a distributor which close or open to allow or prevent the flow of current through the ignition coil. There is usually a moving point, pushed by the distributor cam, and a fixed point, and they are built together as a unit.


DOD

(automotive) Initialism of displacement-on-demand (a type of engine that can shut down cylinders when not needed).


AA

en:Alcoholics Anonymous
en:Anna's Archive
en:The AA

As we have said before, never accept an AA increase – if you phone up and threaten to leave they will, in our experience, drop it back to the previous price. Or better still, just keep switching provider each year. LV’s cover is a good alternative.

2020 January 1, Miles Brignall, “Sit back, do nothing and the AA will double your bill”, in The Guardian:

(UK, automotive) Initialism of The Automobile Association: a British motoring association founded in 1905.


index

indexek (plural)
index (nominative singular)
indexek (nominative plural)
indexet (accusative singular)
indexeket (accusative plural)
indexnek (dative singular)
indexeknek (dative plural)
indexszel (instrumental singular)
indexekkel (instrumental plural)
indexért (causal-final singular)
indexekért (causal-final plural)
indexszé (singular translative)
indexekké (plural translative)
indexig (singular terminative)
indexekig (plural terminative)
indexként (essive-formal singular)
indexekként (essive-formal plural)
indexben (inessive singular)
indexekben (inessive plural)
indexen (singular superessive)
indexeken (plural superessive)
indexnél (adessive singular)
indexeknél (adessive plural)
indexbe (illative singular)
indexekbe (illative plural)
indexre (singular sublative)
indexekre (plural sublative)
indexhez (allative singular)
indexekhez (allative plural)
indexből (elative singular)
indexekből (elative plural)
indexről (delative singular)
indexekről (delative plural)
indextől (ablative singular)
indexektől (ablative plural)
indexé (singular)
indexeké (plural)
indexéi (singular)
indexekéi (plural)
indexem (first-person possessed-single possessive singular)
indexeim (first-person possessed-many possessive singular)
indexed (possessed-single possessive second-person singular)
indexeid (possessed-many possessive second-person singular)
indexe (possessed-single possessive singular third-person)
indexei (possessed-many possessive singular third-person)
indexünk (first-person plural possessed-single possessive)
indexeink (first-person plural possessed-many possessive)
indexetek (plural possessed-single possessive second-person)
indexeitek (plural possessed-many possessive second-person)
indexük (plural possessed-single possessive third-person)
indexeik (plural possessed-many possessive third-person)

(automotive) turn signal (US), indicator (UK) (each of the flashing lights on each side of a vehicle which indicate a turn is being made to left or right, or a lane change)


square

en-adj

square (comparative squarer, superlative squarest)

squarer (comparative)
squarest (superlative)

From Middle English square, sqware, squyre; from Old French esquarre, esquerre, (modern French équerre), from Vulgar Latin *exquadra, from Latin ex- + quadro, from quadrus (compare English quad and quadra). Doublet of squad and squadra.
Displaced Old English fēowerecge (fēower nominative + ecg accusative, as in "four-edged").

(automotive) Of an internal combustion engine design, in which the diameter of the piston is similar, roughly, approximately, equal to its stroke distance.


toe

en-noun

toe (countable and uncountable, plural toes)

heel

antonym(s) of “each of the five digits on the end of the foot”

From Middle English to, from Old English tā, (Mercian) tāhe, from Proto-West Germanic *taihā, from Proto-Germanic *taihwǭ, from *tīhwaną (“to show, announce”), from Proto-Indo-European *deyḱ- (“to show”).
See also Dutch teen, German Zehe, Danish tå, Swedish tå; also Old English teōn (“to accuse”), German zeihen (“to accuse, blame”); also Hittite [script needed] (tekkuššāi), Latin dīcere (“to say”), digitus (“finger”), Ancient Greek δείκνυμι (deíknumi, “to point out, show”), Sanskrit दिदेष्टि (dídeṣṭi), दिशति (diśáti).

cog

(automotive) An alignment of the wheels of a road vehicle, either positive (toe in), meaning the wheels are closer together at the front than at the back, or negative (toe out), the other way round.


jump

Brill Publishers
hydraulic jump
jump cut
jump discontinuity
jump instruction

From Middle English jumpen (“to walk quickly, run, jump”), probably of Middle Low German or North Germanic origin, ultimately from Proto-Germanic *gumpōną ~ *gumbōną (“to hop, skip, bounce”), an iterative verb. The OED suggests an imitative origin. Related to jumble. In the sense “to propel oneself” it displaced leap partially and spring largely.
Cognates
Cognate with German Low German jumpen (“to jump”), archaic German gumpen (“to jump, hop, bounce”), dialectal German gampen (“to hop”), Alemannic German gumpe (“to leap, jump”), Walser dialect kumpu, Old Norse gopta (“to jump; make jump”) Danish gumpe (“to jolt”), Swedish gumpa (“to jump”), Danish gimpe (“to move up and down”), Middle English jumpren, jumbren (“to mix, jumble”).

onomatopoeic

imitative

cog

My car won't start. Could you give me a jump?

(US, informal, automotive) Ellipsis of jump-start.


diesel

en-verb

diesel (third-person singular simple present diesels, present participle dieseling or dieselling, simple past and past participle dieseled or dieselled)

diesels (present singular third-person)
dieseling (participle present)
dieselling (participle present)
dieseled (participle past)
dieseled (past)
dieselled (participle past)
dieselled (past)

From German Diesel, named after inventor Rudolf Diesel, who developed a heavy-duty engine in Germany (1892–1897) and perfected it throughout his life.

The only reason the VW bug has a solenoid is to prevent it from dieseling.

(automotive) For a spark-ignition internal combustion engine to continue running after the electrical current to the spark plugs has been turned off. This occurs when there's enough heat in the combustion chamber to ignite the air and fuel mixture without a spark, the same way that heat and pressure cause ignition in a diesel engine.


diesel

diesel (nominative singular)
diesle (nominative plural)
diesla (genitive singular)
diesli (genitive plural)
dieslowi (dative singular)
dieslom (dative plural)
diesel (accusative singular)
diesle (accusative plural)
dieslem (instrumental singular)
dieslami (instrumental plural)
dieslu (locative singular)
dieslach (locative plural)
dieslu (singular vocative)
diesle (plural vocative)

Unadapted borrowing from German Diesel, named after German inventor Rudolf Diesel (1858–1913).


PI

en-noun

PI (countable and uncountable, plural PIs)

(automotive) Initialism of port injection (“fuel injection”).


bed

bed (countable and uncountable, plural beds)

→ Chichewa: bedi

→ Chuukese: pet

→ Esperanto: bedo

→ Japanese: ベッド (beddo)

African-American Vernacular, some speakers

Inherited from Middle English bed, bedde, from Old English bedd, from Proto-West Germanic *badi, from Proto-Germanic *badją (“resting-place, plot of ground”).
Cognates
Cognate with North Frisian baad, beed, Saterland Frisian Bääd, West Frisian bêd, Low German Bedd, Dutch bed, German Bett, Swedish bädd, Icelandic beður, all meaning “bed”.
further possible etymology and cognates
The Proto-Germanic term may in turn be from Proto-Indo-European *bʰedʰ- (“to dig”) with various theories explaining the development in meaning. If it is, the term is also cognate with Ancient Greek βοθυρος (bothuros, “pit”), Latin fossa (“ditch”), Latvian bedre (“hole”), Welsh bedd (“grave”), Breton bez (“grave”); and probably also Russian бодать (bodatʹ, “to butt, gore”).

bed

flat surface or layer on which something else is to be placed

The parcels were loaded onto the truck bed before transportation.

A place, or flat surface or layer, on which something else rests or is laid.

(US, Canada, automotive) The platform of a truck, trailer, wagon, railcar, or other vehicle that supports the load to be hauled.

lava

platform of a vehicle that supports the load


BS

(automotive) Abbreviation of Bridgestone, a tire company.


GR

(automotive, marketing, motor racing) Initialism of Gazoo Racing: A performance brand, automotive label, and, racing division, of Toyota.


kara

kara (nominative singular)
karat (nominative plural)
kara (accusative nominative singular)
karat (accusative nominative plural)
karan (accusative genitive singular)
karat (accusative genitive plural)
karan (genitive singular)
karojen (genitive plural)
karain (genitive plural rare)
karaa (partitive singular)
karoja (partitive plural)
karassa (inessive singular)
karoissa (inessive plural)
karasta (elative singular)
karoista (elative plural)
karaan (illative singular)
karoihin (illative plural)
karalla (adessive singular)
karoilla (adessive plural)
karalta (ablative singular)
karoilta (ablative plural)
karalle (allative singular)
karoille (allative plural)
karana (essive singular)
karoina (essive plural)
karaksi (singular translative)
karoiksi (plural translative)
karatta (abessive singular)
karoitta (abessive plural)
karoin (instructive plural)
See the possessive forms below. (comitative)
karani (nominative singular)
karani (nominative plural)
karani (accusative nominative singular)
karani (accusative nominative plural)
karani (accusative genitive singular)
karani (accusative genitive plural)
karani (genitive singular)
karojeni (genitive plural)
karaini (genitive plural rare)
karaani (partitive singular)
karojani (partitive plural)
karassani (inessive singular)
karoissani (inessive plural)
karastani (elative singular)
karoistani (elative plural)
karaani (illative singular)
karoihini (illative plural)
karallani (adessive singular)
karoillani (adessive plural)
karaltani (ablative singular)
karoiltani (ablative plural)
karalleni (allative singular)
karoilleni (allative plural)
karanani (essive singular)
karoinani (essive plural)
karakseni (singular translative)
karoikseni (plural translative)
karattani (abessive singular)
karoittani (abessive plural)
karoineni (comitative plural)
karasi (nominative singular)
karasi (nominative plural)
karasi (accusative nominative singular)
karasi (accusative nominative plural)
karasi (accusative genitive singular)
karasi (accusative genitive plural)
karasi (genitive singular)
karojesi (genitive plural)
karaisi (genitive plural rare)
karaasi (partitive singular)
karojasi (partitive plural)
karassasi (inessive singular)
karoissasi (inessive plural)
karastasi (elative singular)
karoistasi (elative plural)
karaasi (illative singular)
karoihisi (illative plural)
karallasi (adessive singular)
karoillasi (adessive plural)
karaltasi (ablative singular)
karoiltasi (ablative plural)
karallesi (allative singular)
karoillesi (allative plural)
karanasi (essive singular)
karoinasi (essive plural)
karaksesi (singular translative)
karoiksesi (plural translative)
karattasi (abessive singular)
karoittasi (abessive plural)
karoinesi (comitative plural)
karamme (nominative singular)
karamme (nominative plural)
karamme (accusative nominative singular)
karamme (accusative nominative plural)
karamme (accusative genitive singular)
karamme (accusative genitive plural)
karamme (genitive singular)
karojemme (genitive plural)
karaimme (genitive plural rare)
karaamme (partitive singular)
karojamme (partitive plural)
karassamme (inessive singular)
karoissamme (inessive plural)
karastamme (elative singular)
karoistamme (elative plural)
karaamme (illative singular)
karoihimme (illative plural)
karallamme (adessive singular)
karoillamme (adessive plural)
karaltamme (ablative singular)
karoiltamme (ablative plural)
karallemme (allative singular)
karoillemme (allative plural)
karanamme (essive singular)
karoinamme (essive plural)
karaksemme (singular translative)
karoiksemme (plural translative)
karattamme (abessive singular)
karoittamme (abessive plural)
karoinemme (comitative plural)
karanne (nominative singular)
karanne (nominative plural)
karanne (accusative nominative singular)
karanne (accusative nominative plural)
karanne (accusative genitive singular)
karanne (accusative genitive plural)
karanne (genitive singular)
karojenne (genitive plural)
karainne (genitive plural rare)
karaanne (partitive singular)
karojanne (partitive plural)
karassanne (inessive singular)
karoissanne (inessive plural)
karastanne (elative singular)
karoistanne (elative plural)
karaanne (illative singular)
karoihinne (illative plural)
karallanne (adessive singular)
karoillanne (adessive plural)
karaltanne (ablative singular)
karoiltanne (ablative plural)
karallenne (allative singular)
karoillenne (allative plural)
karananne (essive singular)
karoinanne (essive plural)
karaksenne (singular translative)
karoiksenne (plural translative)
karattanne (abessive singular)
karoittanne (abessive plural)
karoinenne (comitative plural)
karansa (nominative singular)
karansa (nominative plural)
karansa (accusative nominative singular)
karansa (accusative nominative plural)
karansa (accusative genitive singular)
karansa (accusative genitive plural)
karansa (genitive singular)
karojensa (genitive plural)
karainsa (genitive plural rare)
karaansa (partitive singular)
karojaan (partitive plural)
karojansa (partitive plural)
karassaan (inessive singular)
karassansa (inessive singular)
karoissaan (inessive plural)
karoissansa (inessive plural)
karastaan (elative singular)
karastansa (elative singular)
karoistaan (elative plural)
karoistansa (elative plural)
karaansa (illative singular)
karoihinsa (illative plural)
karallaan (adessive singular)
karallansa (adessive singular)
karoillaan (adessive plural)
karoillansa (adessive plural)
karaltaan (ablative singular)
karaltansa (ablative singular)
karoiltaan (ablative plural)
karoiltansa (ablative plural)
karalleen (allative singular)
karallensa (allative singular)
karoilleen (allative plural)
karoillensa (allative plural)
karanaan (essive singular)
karanansa (essive singular)
karoinaan (essive plural)
karoinansa (essive plural)
karakseen (singular translative)
karaksensa (singular translative)
karoikseen (plural translative)
karoiksensa (plural translative)
karattaan (abessive singular)
karattansa (abessive singular)
karoittaan (abessive plural)
karoittansa (abessive plural)
karoineen (comitative plural)
karoinensa (comitative plural)

pin, spindle, rod (machine part, often relatively long and narrow, used either as an axle or support)

spindle (rod which turns, or on which something turns, e.g. of a door or window handle)


luz

luzik (diminutive)
luz (nominative singular)
luzy (nominative plural)
luzu (genitive singular)
luzów (genitive plural)
luzowi (dative singular)
luzom (dative plural)
luz (accusative singular)
luzy (accusative plural)
luzem (instrumental singular)
luzami (instrumental plural)
luzie (locative singular)
luzach (locative plural)
luzie (singular vocative)
luzy (plural vocative)
lus (alternative)

(colloquial, automotive) idle (running a vehicle's engine when the vehicle is not in motion)


blown

From Middle English blawen, from Old English blāƿen, blāwen, past participle of Old English blāwan.
Morphologically blow + -n.


break

From earlier break de chasse, from English shooting brake.


dwell

From Middle English dwellen (“delay, live, remain, persist”), from Old English dwellan (“to mislead, deceive; be led into error, stray”), from Proto-Germanic *dwaljaną (“to hold up, delay; hesitate”), from Proto-Indo-European *dʰwelH- (“to whirl, swirl, blur, obfuscate”), which is cognate with Old Norse dvelja and related to Proto-Germanic *dwelaną (“to go astray”), which underwent semantic change in its descendants. Cognates include Danish dvæle (“to linger, dwell”) and Swedish dväljas (“to dwell, reside”).

cog

(automotive) In a petrol engine, the period of time the ignition points are closed to let current flow through the ignition coil in between each spark. This is measured as an angle in degrees around the camshaft in the distributor which controls the points, for example in a 4-cylinder engine it might be 55° (spark at 90° intervals, points closed for 55° between each).


boot

Solombala English: бучь (bučʹ)

→ Maltese: buz

→ Russian: бутса (butsa)

→ Serbo-Croatian:

Cyrillic script: бу́це

Latin script: búce

→ Swahili: buti

From Middle English boote, bote (“shoe”), from Old French bote (“a high, thick shoe”). Of obscure origin, but probably related to Old French bot (“club-foot”), bot (“fat, short, blunt”), from Old Frankish *butt, from Proto-Germanic *buttaz, *butaz (“cut off, short, numb, blunt”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰewt-, *bʰewd- (“to strike, push, shock”); if so, a doublet of butt. Compare Old Norse butt (“stump”), Low German butt (“blunt, plump”), Old English bytt (“small piece of land”), buttuc (“end”). More at buttock and debut.

a lie can run around the world before the truth can get its boots on

couldn't pour water out of a boot with the instructions on the heel

He heaved the bag and its contents over the lip of the boot and on to the flagstones. When it was out, no longer in that boot but on the ground, and the bag was still intact, he knew the worst was over.

1998, Ruth Rendell, A Sight For Sore Eyes, published 2010, page 260:

The body is constructed of welded steel panels, with the bonnet, doors and boot lid in aluminium on steel frames.

2003, Keith Bluemel, Original Ferrari V-12 1965-1973: The Restorer's Guide, unnumbered page:

Peers leant against the outside of the car a lit up her filter tip and watched as Bauer and Putin placed their compact suitcases in the boot of the BMW and slammed the boot lid down.

2008, MB Chattelle, Richmond, London: The Peter Hacket Chronicles, page 104:

(Australia, British, New Zealand, South Africa, automotive) The luggage storage compartment of a sedan or saloon car.


parasol

Verb-object compound, composed of para (“to stop”) + sol (“sun”).


spat

Shortening of spatterdash, from spatter + dash. 1779.

(automotive, UK, Australia) A piece of bodywork that covers the upper portions of the rear tyres of a car.


upset

en-noun

upset (countable and uncountable, plural upsets)

From Middle English upset (“the act of setting up; establishment”), from Middle English upsetten, corresponding to up- + set. Cognate with Middle Low German upset (“setup; arrangement”).

cog

"collision and upset": impact with another object or an overturn for whatever reason.


box

en-noun

box (plural boxes or (nonstandard, computing, humorous) boxen)

boxes (plural)
boxen (humorous nonstandard plural)

Tok Pisin: bokis

→ Afrikaans: boks

→ Bengali: বাক্স (bakśo)

→ Bulgarian: бокс (boks)

→ Crimean Tatar: boks

→ Danish: boks

→ Dutch: box m

→ Faroese: boks

→ French: box m

→ German: Box f

→ Hindustani:

Hindi: बकस m (bakas), बक्सा m (baksā)

Urdu: بکس m (baks, bakas)

→ Icelandic: box n

→ Indonesian: boks

→ Irish: bosca m

→ Italian: box m

→ Japanese: ボックス (bokkusu)

→ Korean: 박스 (bakseu)

→ Maori: pāka

→ Marwari: बकस (baks, bakas)

→ Nepali: बाकस (bākas)

→ Norman: bosc m

→ Norwegian: boks m

→ Pashto: بکس (baks)

→ Persian: باکس (bâks)

→ Polish: boks m

→ Portuguese: box m

→ Russian: бокс m (boks)

→ Scottish Gaelic: bogsa m, bocsa

→ Spanish: box m

→ Swedish: box c

→ Welsh: bocs

Etymology tree
Ancient Greek πῠ́ξος (pŭ́xos)
Ancient Greek -ις (-is)
Ancient Greek πυξίς (puxís)bor.
Late Latin buxisbor.
Proto-West Germanic *buhsā
Old English box
Middle English box
English box
From Middle English box (“container, box, cup”), from Old English box (“box, case”), from Proto-West Germanic *buhsā (“box”) from Late Latin buxis (“box”), Latin pyxis (“small box for medicines or toiletries”), of uncertain origin; compare Ancient Greek πύξος (púxos, “box or tablet made of boxwood; box; cylinder”) and Ancient Greek πυξίς (puxís, “box or tablet made of boxwood; box; cylinder”). Doublet of piseog, pyx, and pyxis.
Cognate with Middle Dutch bosse, busse (“jar; tin; round box”) (modern Dutch bos (“wood, forest”), bus (“container, box; bushing of a wheel”)), Old High German buhsa (Middle High German buhse, bühse, modern German Büchse (“box; can”)), Swedish bössa (“box”).
The humorous plural form boxen is from box + -en, by analogy with oxen.

кутия

compartment or receptacle for receiving items

ramme

rectangular border around an image, text, etc.

квадратче

small area on a document for a tick mark

tofu

empty box displayed by some computer systems in place of a character not supported by available fonts

They were capable of climbing most hills in second low but for this exercise we decided to go for the bottom of the box, just to be sure.

2000, Bob Foster, Birdum or Bust!, Henley Beach, SA: Seaview Press, page 181:

Senses relating to a three-dimensional object or space.

Thinkin' like Roddy, got a stick in the box (Roddy)
Hide in another car, we just blickin' the opps (Bah)

2023 May 24, “Bounce”, PGF Nuk (lyrics):


box

Pseudo-anglicism, from English box, variously clipped (in the meaning "horsebox") or with transferred senses.


flat

From Middle English flat, a borrowing from Old Norse flatr (compare Norwegian and Swedish flat, Danish flad), from Proto-Germanic *flataz, from Proto-Indo-European *pleth₂- (“flat”); akin to Saterland Frisian flot (“smooth”), German Flöz (“a geological layer”), Ancient Greek πλατύς (platús), Latvian plats, Sanskrit प्रथस् (prathas, “extension”). Doublet of plat and pleyt.
The noun is from Middle English flat (“level piece of ground, flat edge of a weapon”), from the adjective.
The algebraic sense was coined by Serre in a 1956 paper, originally as French plat.

inh

The next one surrendered his bike, only for that, too, to give him a second flat as he started the descent.

2012 July 15, Richard Williams, Tour de France 2012: Carpet tacks cannot force Bradley Wiggins off track, Guardian Unlimited:

(informal, automotive) A flat tyre/flat tire.


rim

From Middle English rim, rym, rime, from Old English rima (“rim, edge, border, bank, coast”), from Proto-Germanic *rimô, *rembô (“edge, border”), possibly from Proto-Indo-European *rem-, *remə- (“to rest, support, be based”). Cognate with Saterland Frisian Rim (“plank, wooden cross, trellis”), Old Saxon rimi (“edge; border; trim”), Icelandic rimi (“a strip of land”).

cog

About an hour later, she noticed an all black Phantom with tints and chrome rims riding slowly through the car lot.

2010, Rochelle Magee, No Witnesses: A Perilous Journey, page 36:


float

From Middle English flote, from Old English flota (“sailor, boat”), from Proto-West Germanic *flotō, from Proto-Germanic *flutô, from Proto-Indo-European *plewd-.

(automotive) A car carrier or car transporter truck or truck-and-trailer combination.


shock

en-noun

shock (countable and uncountable, plural shocks)

shocks (plural)
choque (alternative obsolete)

→ Bulgarian: шок (šok)

→ Chinese: 休克 (xiūkè)

→ Czech: šok

→ Italian: shock

→ Japanese: ショック (shokku)

→ Korean: 쇼크 (syokeu)

→ Macedonian: шок (šok)

→ Polish: szok

→ Russian: шок (šok)

→ Serbo-Croatian:

Cyrillic: шо̏к

Latin: šȍk

→ Slovak: šok

→ Spanish: shock

From Middle Dutch schokken (“to push, jolt, shake, jerk”) or Middle French choquer (“to collide with, clash”), from Old Dutch *skokkan (“to shake up and down, shog”), from Proto-Germanic *skukkaną (“to move, shake, tremble”). Of uncertain origin. Perhaps related to Proto-Germanic *skakaną (“to shake, stir”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)kek-, *(s)keg- (“to shake, stir”); see shake.
Cognate with Middle Low German schocken (“collide with, deliver a blow to, move back and forth”), Old High German scoc (“a jolt, swing”), Middle High German schocken (“to swing”) (German schaukeln), Old Norse skykkr (“vibration, surging motion”), Icelandic skykkjun (“tremulously”), Middle English schiggen (“to shake”). Doublet of shog.

cog

shark (non-rhotic, father-bother merger)

If your truck's been riding rough, it might need new shocks.

We're bonin' on the dark blocks / Wearin' out the shocks, wettin' up the dashboard clock

1993, “Back Seat (of My Jeep)”, in 14 Shots to the Dome, performed by LL Cool J:

At the rear, you'll find a single, centrally mounted shock, the now-familiar single-sided swingarm and BMW's Paralever shaft-drive system, which does away with most of a shafty's chassis-jacking bugaboos.

1994, Cycle World Magazine, volume 33, number 1, page 49:

mechanical engineering
mechanical engineering

(automotive, mechanical engineering) A shock absorber (typically in the suspension of a vehicle).


carburettor

Both affect the performance of the machine, especially the carburettors, and both are important to the final appearance of the model.

2005, Mick Walker, How to Restore Your BMW Twin 1955-1985, page 92:

In a carburettor the pressure drop (or viewed another way, suction) is used to draw fuel out of a reservoir, usually via a jet, and into the venturi to mix with the air flowing through it.

2008, Daniel Stapleton, David Vizard, John Sprinzel, The MG Midget & Austin Healey Sprite High Performance Manual, page 36:

For a large part of the twentieth century the majority of light vehicles used petrol engines that were equipped with a carburettor.

2011, Allan Bonnick, A Practical Approach to Motor Vehicle Engineering and Maintenance, page 81:

(automotive, Australia, New Zealand, UK) Alternative spelling of carburetor (“device in an internal combustion engine”).


cylinder

→ Japanese: シリンダー (shirindā)

→ Korean: 실린더 (sillindeo)

From Middle French chilindre, cylindre, from Latin cylindrus, from Ancient Greek κύλινδρος (kúlindros), from κυλίνδω (kulíndō) "I roll or wallow" (intransitive). Doublet of calander and calender.

reciprocating engine
reciprocating engine

(automotive) The space in which a piston travels inside a reciprocating engine or pump.


cylinder

pl-noun

cylinder m inan (diminutive cylinderek, related adjective cylindrowy)

cylinderek (diminutive)
cylindrowy (adjective)
cylinder (nominative singular)
cylindry (nominative plural)
cylindra (genitive singular)
cylindrów (genitive plural)
cylindrowi (dative singular)
cylindrom (dative plural)
cylinder (accusative singular)
cylindry (accusative plural)
cylindrem (instrumental singular)
cylindrami (instrumental plural)
cylindrze (locative singular)
cylindrach (locative plural)
cylindrze (singular vocative)
cylindry (plural vocative)

Borrowed from German Zylinder. Doublet of kalander.

(automotive) cylinder (space in which a piston travels inside a reciprocating engine or pump)


muffler

→ Japanese: マフラー

→ Spanish: mofle

→ Welsh: myffler

Holonym: exhaust system

(US, automotive) A part of the exhaust pipe of a car that dampens the noise the engine produces.


platform

From Middle French plateforme (“a flat form”), from plate (“flat”) (from Old French plat, from Ancient Greek πλατύς (platús, “flat”)) + forme (“form”) (from Latin fōrma (“shape; figure; form”)); compare flatscape.

der

A car platform consists of the underbody, suspension, and axles, plus components such as the steering mechanism, engine, and powertrain. Using such a platform, a car company can design several distinct car models to suit different customer groups[…]

2017, Vinod K. Jain, Global Strategy: Competing in the Connected Economy, Routledge, →ISBN, page 131:

(automotive) Ellipsis of car platform (“a set of components shared by several vehicle models”).

pohjalevy

automotive: set of components shared by several vehicle models


擋

Ideogrammic compound (會意 /会意) and phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *taːŋʔ, *taːŋs): semantic 扌 (“hand”) + phonetic 當 (OC *taːŋ, *taːŋs).
From 當 (OC *taːŋ, “to have the value of; to be equal of; to face; vis-à-vis; to match”) and originally written as 當 (Wang, 1982).

och-l

二擋

二挡

手動擋

手动挡

to pop out of gear; to skip a gear when shifting

跳擋

跳挡


şibidak

head

şibidak (definite accusative şibidağı, plural şibidaklar)

şibidağı (accusative definite)
şibidaklar (plural)
şibidak (nominative singular)
şibidaklar (nominative plural)
şibidağı (accusative definite singular)
şibidakları (accusative definite plural)
şibidağa (dative singular)
şibidaklara (dative plural)
şibidakta (locative singular)
şibidaklarda (locative plural)
şibidaktan (ablative singular)
şibidaklardan (ablative plural)
şibidağın (genitive singular)
şibidakların (genitive plural)

From German Schiebedach (“sliding roof; sunroof”).


ABC

en-noun

ABC (countable and uncountable, plural ABCs)

active body control
active body control#English

(automotive) Initialism of active body control.


ABC

(electronics, electric vehicles, automotive) Initialism of always be charging, a recommendation to remember to charge or be left without use by a low battery at an inopportune time.


coke

en-verb

coke (third-person singular simple present cokes, present participle coking, simple past and past participle coked)

cokes (present singular third-person)
coking (participle present)
coked (participle past)
coked (past)
coak (alternative)

Perhaps from Middle English coke, colk (“core”), from Old English *colc (“hole, well”), from Proto-West Germanic *kolk, from Proto-Germanic *kulukaz (“a hollow, depression”), from Proto-Indo-European *g(ʷ)el- (“to swallow, devour; gullet”). Cognate with Saterland Frisian Kolk (“maelstrom, depression, whirlpool”), West Frisian kolk (“maelstrom, whirlpool”), Dutch kolk (“maelstrom, vortex, whirlpool”), German Kolk (“pothole”).

cog

In kerolox engines, some of the fuel flow cokes in the engine's cooling passages over time, requiring thorough cleaning prior to reuse.

(especially automotive, astronautics) To add deleterious carbon deposits as a byproduct of combustion.


daily

dailies (plural)
dayly (alternative archaic obsolete)

From Middle English dayly, from Old English dæġlīċ, from Proto-West Germanic *dagalīk, from Proto-Germanic *dagalīkaz (“daily”), equivalent to day + -ly. Cognate with Scots dayly, daly (“daily”), German Low German dagelk, dagelik (“daily”), Dutch dagelijks (“daily”), German täglich (“daily”), Danish daglig (“daily”), Swedish daglig (“daily”), Icelandic daglegur (“daily”).

Something that is produced, consumed, used, or done every day.

(US, automotive, colloquial) A daily driver.


daily

en-verb

daily (third-person singular simple present dailies, present participle dailying, simple past and past participle dailied)

dailies (present singular third-person)
dailying (participle present)
dailied (participle past)
dailied (past)
dayly (alternative archaic obsolete)

(US, automotive, colloquial) To drive an automobile frequently, on a daily basis, for regular and mundane tasks.


FF

(automotive) The Ferrari FF (Ferrari Four), an all-wheel drive grand tourer by Ferrari.


line

→ Scottish Gaelic: loidhne

From Middle English line, lyne, from Old English līne (“line, cable, rope, hawser, series, row, rule, direction”), from Proto-West Germanic *līnā, from Proto-Germanic *līnǭ (“line, rope, flaxen cord, thread”), from Proto-Germanic *līną (“flax, linen”), from Proto-Indo-European *līno- (“flax”).
Influenced in Middle English by Middle French ligne (“line”), from Latin linea. More at linen.
The oldest sense of the word is “rope, cord, thread”; from this the senses “path”, “continuous mark” were derived.

lyn

path through two or more points, threadlike mark

lyn

single horizontal row of text on a screen, printed paper, etc.

linja

measure of length, the main division of an inch or its local equivalent

"I guess it's like race cars - if you get the right line you can come out at top speed."

2021 February 7, The Road Ahead, Brisbane, page 10, column 3:

A path through two or more points (compare ‘segment’); a continuous mark, including as made by a pen; any path, curved or straight.

(automotive) A particular path taken by a vehicle when driving a bend or corner in the road.


AAA

Ahead of one of the busiest travel periods of the year, the American Automobile Association (AAA) said more than 112 million people planned to travel 50 miles (80 km) or more from home between 23 December and 2 January.

2022 December 23, Jon Henley, Edward Helmore, Maya Yang, “Gigantic US winter storm leaves millions without power and cancels holiday plans”, in The Guardian:

American Automobile Association
w:American Automobile Association

(US, automotive) Initialism of American Automobile Association.

(Australia, automotive) Initialism of Australian Automobile Association.


bus

buses (plural)
busses (plural)
'bus (alternative archaic)

→ Arabic: بَاص (bāṣ)

⇒ Burmese: ဘတ်စ်ကား (bhatcka:)

→ Cantonese: 巴士

→ Mandarin: 巴士 (bāshì)

→ German: Bus m

→ Hindi: बस (bas)

→ Irish: bus

desctree

→ Japanese: バス (basu)
→ Hakka: 巴士 (pa-sṳ́)
→ Hokkien: 巴士 (bá-suh)
→ Kavalan: basu
→ Sakizaya: basu

→ Korean: 버스 (beoseu)

→ Kurtöp: བས (bas)

→ Malay: bas

→ Pashto: بس

⇒ Sanskrit: बसयान (basayāna)

→ Scottish Gaelic: bus

→ Thai: บัส (bát)

→ Tibetan: འབའ་སེ ('ba' se)

→ Urdu: بس

→ Welsh: bws

Clipping of omnibus. Superseded earlier 'bus, where the apostrophe indicated a clipping. The shift in spelling likely reflects the fact that modern speakers no longer perceive this term as a clipping. The electrical sense is derived from figurative application of the automotive sense.

(automotive) A motor vehicle for transporting large numbers of people along roads.

(chiefly US, Canada) A coach, a bus used for long travels.


bus

en-verb

bus (third-person singular simple present busses or buses, present participle bussing or busing, simple past and past participle bussed or bused)

busses (present singular third-person)
buses (present singular third-person)
bussing (participle present)
busing (participle present)
bussed (participle past)
bussed (past)
bused (participle past)
bused (past)

Machine guns are the most effective form of ‘election campaigning’, but the occupiers appear to also be bussing in ‘voters’ from the Russian Federation, and ‘registering total strangers in the homes of people forced to flee after the Russian invasion.

2024 March 13, Halya Coynash, “Russians with machine guns ensure occupied Ukraine ‘votes’ for Putin”, in Human Rights in Ukraine. The Information Portal of the Kharkiv Human Rights Protection Group:

The ANC has accused the IFP of bussing in voters from other wards to vote during the recent Newcastle Municipality by-election won by the IFP.

2024 March 14, Clive Ndou, “ANC set to open case against ‘ghost IFP voters’”, in The Witness:

(transitive, automotive, transport) To transport via a motor bus.

But if you ask me to bus my children / I hope the cops take down your name

1966, Phil Ochs, “Love Me, I'm a Liberal”, in Phils Ochs in Concert:

...to strike down Detroit's federal court order to bus students across school district lines for the purpose of desegregation and therefore nullify many busing programs throughout the country.

2008, Ashley R. Holm, Racial Differences in Student Engagement and Attainment: A Study of Topeka High School, 1939--1984, ProQuest, →ISBN, page 23:

(transitive, automotive, transport, chiefly US) To transport students to school, often to a more distant school for the purposes of achieving racial integration.

(intransitive, automotive, transport) To travel by bus.


ga

From French gaz (“gas”), from Dutch gas.

xe bị rồ/oà ga

a motorcycle with a broken throttle that accelerates while the twistgrip is released

Nổ nãy giờ mà chẳng có ga gì hết !

I've been trying to start my bike for hours and it's still not working!

chạy tẹt ga

to step on it/on the gas; to floor it; to put your foot down; to run full throttle

(automotive) the ignited mixture of fuel and air that powers an engine; not to be confused with xăng (“gasoline”)


XL

en-noun

XL (countable and uncountable, plural XLs)

(automotive) A designation for a trim level within a model of trucks; it denotes midrange features.


roadster

(automotive) An open automobile having a front seat and a rumble seat.


gear

gear (countable and uncountable, plural gears)

→ Japanese: ギア (gia)

From Middle English gere, a borrowing from Old Norse gervi, from Proto-Germanic *garwijaną (“to prepare”). See also adjective yare, yar from the same root via Old English.

der

(countable, automotive, cycling) A particular combination or choice of interlocking gears, such that a particular gear ratio is achieved.

зъбна предавка

a particular combination or choice of interlocking gears

(countable, automotive) A configuration of the transmission of a motor car so as to achieve a particular ratio of engine to axle torque.


knock

en-noun

knock (countable and uncountable, plural knocks)

From Middle English knokken, from Old English cnocian, ġecnocian, cnucian (“to knock, pound on, beat”), from Proto-West Germanic *knokōn, from Proto-Germanic *knukōną (“to knock”), a suffixed form of *knu-, *knew- (“to pound on, beat”), from Proto-Indo-European *gnew-, *gen- (“to squeeze, pinch, kink, ball up, concentrate”). The English word is cognate with Middle High German knochen (“to hit”), Old English cnuian, cnuwian (“to pound, knock”), Old Norse knoka (compare Danish knuge (“to squeeze”), Swedish knocka (“to hug”)).

(automotive, uncountable) Preignition, a type of abnormal combustion occurring in spark ignition engines caused by self-ignition; also, the characteristic knocking sound associated with it.


cylinder head

(automotive) A part of an internal combustion engine, usually made as a removable piece, that closes one end of the engine's cylinders.


manual

manual (countable and uncountable, plural manuals)

From Middle English manuel, from Anglo-Norman manuel, Old French manual, from Latin manuālis, from manus (“hand”).

Tom's transmission shop can fix both manuals and automatics.

(countable) A device that is operated using the hands, or by a human rather than a machine.

(automotive) A manual transmission; a gearbox, especially of a motorized vehicle, shifted by the operator.


wheel

we'll (one pronunciation along with the wine–whine merger)

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, and cyclus.

агьежь

a circular device facilitating movement or transportation

peix gros

person with a great deal of power or influence


hybrid

head

hybrid c (singular definite hybriden, plural indefinite hybrider)

hybriden (definite singular)
hybrider (indefinite plural)
hybrid (indefinite nominative singular)
hybriden (definite nominative singular)
hybrider (indefinite nominative plural)
hybriderne (definite nominative plural)
hybrids (genitive indefinite singular)
hybridens (definite genitive singular)
hybriders (genitive indefinite plural)
hybridernes (definite genitive plural)

(figuratively) a hybrid (mix of things)
(automotive) a hybrid vehicle

a hybrid (mix of things)
a hybrid vehicle


hybrid

hybrid (indefinite nominative singular)
hybrids (genitive indefinite singular)
hybriden (definite nominative singular)
hybridens (definite genitive singular)
hybrider (indefinite nominative plural)
hybriders (genitive indefinite plural)
hybriderna (definite nominative plural)
hybridernas (definite genitive plural)


horn

en-noun

horn (countable and uncountable, plural horns)

From Middle English horn, horne, from Old English horn, from Proto-West Germanic *horn, from Proto-Germanic *hurną. Compare West Frisian hoarn, Dutch hoorn, Low German Hoorn, horn, German Horn, Danish and Swedish horn, Gothic 𐌷𐌰𐌿𐍂𐌽 (haurn).
Ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ḱr̥h₂-nó-m, from *ḱerh₂- (“head, horn”). Compare Breton kern (“horn”), Latin cornū, Ancient Greek κέρας (kéras), Proto-Slavic *sьrna, Old Church Slavonic сьрна (sĭrna, “roedeer”), Hittite [script needed] (surna, “horn”), Persian سر (sar), Sanskrit शृङ्ग (śṛṅga, “horn”). Doublet of corn (“callus”), corno, and cornu.
(telephone): From the horn-shaped earpieces of old communication systems that used air tubes.

doublet

(countable, automotive) A loud alarm, especially one on a motor vehicle.

toeter

loud alarm, especially on a motor vehicle


horn

horn n (definite singular hornet, indefinite plural horn, definite plural horna or hornene)

hornet (definite singular)
horn (indefinite plural)
horna (definite plural)
hornene (definite plural)

From Old Norse horn, from Proto-Norse ᚺᛟᚱᚾᚨ (horna), from Proto-Germanic *hurną, from Proto-Indo-European *ḱerh₂-.

(automotive, rail transport) horn (warning device)


horn

horn n (definite singular hornet, indefinite plural horn, definite plural horna)

hornet (definite singular)
horn (indefinite plural)
horna (definite plural)
haurn (alternative)
hønn (hødn, hønnj) (alternative)
henn (alternative)


sunroof

→ Japanese: サンルーフ (sanrūfu)

→ Korean: 선루프 (seollupeu)

(automotive) A fixed or operable opening in a vehicle roof (car or truck) which allows fresh air and/or light to enter the passenger compartment. A sunroof may include a transparent or opaque panel and may be manually operated or power driven.


sunroof

head

sunroof (definite accusative sunroofu, plural sunrooflar)

sunroofu (accusative definite)
sunrooflar (plural)
sunroof (nominative singular)
sunrooflar (nominative plural)
sunroofu (accusative definite singular)
sunroofları (accusative definite plural)
sunroofa (dative singular)
sunrooflara (dative plural)
sunroofta (locative singular)
sunrooflarda (locative plural)
sunrooftan (ablative singular)
sunrooflardan (ablative plural)
sunroofun (genitive singular)
sunroofların (genitive plural)

Unadapted borrowing from English sunroof.


trunk

From Middle English tronke, trunke, from Old French tronc (“alms box, tree trunk, headless body”), from Latin truncus (“a stock, lopped tree trunk”), from truncus (“cut off, maimed, mutilated”). For the verb, compare French tronquer, and see truncate. Doublet of truncus and tronk.

der

the apple does not fall far from the trunk

I'm a stunt; ride in the car with some bump in the trunk.

2005, “Stay Fly”, in Jordan Houston, Darnell Carlton, Paul Beauregard, Premro Smith, Marlon Goodwin, David Brown, Willie Hutchinson (lyrics), Most Known Unknown, performed by Three 6 Mafia (featuring Young Buck, 8 Ball, and MJG), Sony BMG:

(Canada, US, automotive) The luggage storage compartment of a sedan/saloon-style car.

bak

luggage storage compartment of a sedan/saloon style car

(automotive) A storage compartment fitted behind the seat of a motorcycle.


Käfer

de-noun

Käfer m (strong, genitive Käfers, plural Käfer, diminutive Käferchen n, feminine (for the animal) Käferin)

Käfers (genitive)
Käfer (plural)
Käferchen (diminutive neuter)
Käferin (feminine)
Käfer (nominative singular)
Käfer (definite nominative plural)
Käfers (genitive singular)
Käfer (definite genitive plural)
Käfer (dative singular)
Käfern (dative definite plural)
Käfer (accusative singular)
Käfer (accusative definite plural)

→ Ladin: chëifer

From Middle High German [Term?], from Old High German chevar, cheviro, from Proto-West Germanic *kefrō. Akin to English chafer, Dutch kever.


trailer

head

trailer c (singular definite traileren, plural indefinite trailere)

traileren (definite singular)
trailere (indefinite plural)
trailer (indefinite nominative singular)
traileren (definite nominative singular)
trailere (indefinite nominative plural)
trailerene (definite nominative plural)
trailers (genitive indefinite singular)
trailerens (definite genitive singular)
traileres (genitive indefinite plural)
trailerenes (definite genitive plural)

(automotive) trailer (vehicle towed behind another vehicle)


trailer

trailer (indefinite nominative singular)
trailers (genitive indefinite singular)
trailern (definite nominative singular)
trailerns (definite genitive singular)
trailers (indefinite nominative plural)
trailrar (indefinite nominative plural)
trailers (genitive indefinite plural)
trailrars (genitive indefinite plural)
trailrarna (definite nominative plural)
trailrarnas (definite genitive plural)

Borrowed from English trailer. First attested in 1948.

(automotive) a (large) trailer (on or towed by a truck)


rad

(automotive, plumbing, slang) Abbreviation of radiator.


auto

From Ancient Greek αὐτός (autós, “self”), metanalyzed from auto- in words such as automatic, autopilot, and automobile.

It's an auto sedan which we picked up from a wholesaler locally.

For the first eight years of the Tetris Championship Series, the eventual victor used a technique known as delayed auto shift, or "DAS."

2023 December 1, Evelynn Kersting, “GAMES AND TIME”, in University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, page 250, archived from the original on 2025-06-06:

(automotive) Clipping of automatic (of a gearbox/transmission).


auto

en-noun

auto (countable and uncountable, plural autos)

A body-coloured centre pillar signalled the arrival of an electronic four-speed auto, slight suspension revisions and minor trim changes.

(automotive) An automatic gearbox/transmission.

It wasn't too bad but we did hire an auto (couldn't imagine changing gears with my right hand).

(automotive) A car with an automatic gearbox/transmission.


sedan

Deze week worden nog 10 meer Fords verwacht, waarbij 7 Sedans zijn.

1918 March 28, “Correspondentie. Rock Valley”, in De Volksvriend, volume 44, number 19, page 3:


estate

From Middle English estat, from Anglo-Norman estat and Old French estat (French: état), from Latin status. Doublet of state and status.

(UK, automotive) A station wagon; a car with a tailgate (or liftgate) and storage space to the rear of the seating which is coterminous with the passenger compartment (and often extensible into that compartment via folding or removable seating).


station wagon

From train station; station wagons were originally designed for transporting people and luggage between stations and country estates.

1952 November, Should You Buy A Station Wagon?, Kiplinger′s Personal Finance, page 45,
Trade-in values for station wagons have shown a marked improvement since the introduction of the all-steel body. In fact, a station wagon buyer need not worry about his investment′s depreciating any more than he would have to if he bought a four-door sedan.

The Negro was lying in a ditch on the left side of the road, face down, headed west, and the body more or less parallel to the road and about a car length behind the station wagon and a car length in front of Price′s car.

1983, Willie Morris, The Courting of Marcus Dupree, published 1992, page 164:

The prosperity of the postwar years, the baby boom, and the birth of suburbia sent the demand for station wagons soaring. As a result, by 1952 almost every manufacturer offered a station wagon model.

2005, Jim Hinckley, The Big Book of Car Culture: The Armchair Guide to Automotive Americana, page 184:

They rushed him to nearby Coledale Hospital in the back of a station wagon where doctors were standing by.

2007, Wendy Lewis, See Australia and Die: Tales of Misadventure Down Under, unnumbered page:

Two Johns (John Hoban and John Groutsch) came to Essendon airport in their Holden station wagon to take me back to Tocumwal for an interview.

2011, Balaji Rao, From India to Australia, unnumbered page:

(US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, automotive) A body style for cars in which the roof is extended rearward to produce an enclosed area in the position and serving the function of the boot (trunk) of a sedan or saloon.


carrier

From Middle English cariere, partly from carien + -ere, after Anglo-Norman carier, cariour, and partly directly from Anglo-Norman. By surface analysis, carry + -er.

но́сьбіт

person or object that carries someone or something else

(engineering) That which drives or carries.

(especially automotive) Part of a differential gear assembly that holds gears and their bearings.


ler

lȇr (canonical masculine)
ле̑р (Cyrillic)
ler (nominative singular)
leri (nominative plural)
lera (genitive singular)
lera (genitive plural)
leru (dative singular)
lerima (dative plural)
ler (accusative singular)
lere (accusative plural)
lere (singular vocative)
leri (plural vocative)
leru (locative singular)
lerima (locative plural)
lerom (instrumental singular)
lerima (instrumental plural)


bolide

Learned borrowing from Latin bolis, from Ancient Greek βολίς (bolís, “missile, arrow, javelin”).


luxury

en-adj

luxury (comparative more luxury, superlative most luxury)

more luxury (comparative)
most luxury (superlative)

/ˈlʌɡ.ʒə.ɹi/

From Middle English luxurie, from Old French luxurie, from Latin luxuria (“rankness, luxury”), from luxus (“extravagance, luxury”).

(automotive) Pertaining to the top-end market segment for mass production mass market vehicles, above the premium market segment.


chip

en-verb

chip (third-person singular simple present chips, present participle chipping, simple past and past participle chipped)

chips (present singular third-person)
chipping (participle present)
chipped (participle past)
chipped (past)

Noun from Middle English chip, chippe, from Old English ċipp (“chip; small piece of wood, shaving”), from Old English *ċippian (“to cut; hew”) – attested in Old English forċippian (“to cut off”) –, from Proto-West Germanic *kippōn (“to cut; carve; hack; chop”), from Proto-Germanic *kippōną (“to chip, chop”), from Proto-Indo-European *ǵeyb- (“to split; divide; germinate; sprout”). Related to Dutch kip, keep (“notch; nick; score”), Dutch kippen (“to hatch”), German Low German kippen (“to cut; clip; trim; shorten”), German kipfen (“to chop off the tip; snip”), Old Swedish kippa (“to chop”). Compare also chop.
The formally similar Old English ċipp, ċypp, ċyp (“a beam; log; stock; post”), from Proto-Germanic *kippaz (“log; beam”) (whence Old Saxon kip (“post”), Old High German kipfa, chipfa (“axle, stave”), Old Norse keppr (“cudgel, club”)) is a different, unrelated word either borrowed from Latin cippus (“stake; pale; post”) or borrowed from the same source language as the Latin.
Verb from Middle English chippen, from Old English *ċippian (“to cut; hew”) – attested in Old English forċippian (“to cut off”) – see above.

cog

(transitive, automotive) To upgrade an engine management system, usually to increase power.


submarine

en-verb

submarine (third-person singular simple present submarines, present participle submarining, simple past and past participle submarined)

submarines (present singular third-person)
submarining (participle present)
submarined (participle past)
submarined (past)
sub-marine (alternative rare)

The seatback should always be up while driving so that the occupant doesn't submarine and potentially suffer severe internal injury.

(intransitive, automotive) To slide forwards underneath one's seat belt (during a crash or sudden stop).


flip a bitch

flip a bitch (third-person singular simple present flips a bitch, present participle flipping a bitch, simple past and past participle flipped a bitch)

flips a bitch (present singular third-person)
flipping a bitch (participle present)
flipped a bitch (participle past)
flipped a bitch (past)

That's a cop up there! Flip a bitch and see if we can lose 'em.

I shut the door and concentrated on the checklist so that I could turn the aircrafts^([sic]) electrical system on and check the gauges for fuel or anything out of the ordinary. Every few seconds I felt the aircraft tug, as John towed the aircraft and I to the pumps. After checking the gauges, I was happy to find that both wing tanks were full, so I opened up the door, jumped out and ran ahead to tell John to flip a bitch and pull the bird back to the tower. At the tower I used the aircraft checklist to do a walk around inspection.

2010, J. L. Bourne, Day By Day Armageddon, Simon and Schuster, →ISBN:

“Can you flip a bitch and swing by the airport to pick me up?” It took me a minute to register what she was saying. “You're in Georgia?” Twisting around from the front seat, Griffin echoed my question.

2013, S.C. Stephens, Reckless, Simon and Schuster, →ISBN:

(US, slang, vulgar, automotive) To make a rapid and illegal U-turn.


toaster

→ French: toasteur

→ German: Toaster

→ Hebrew: טוסטר

ja-r

トースター (tōsutā)

→ Japanese: トースター (tōsutā)

→ Korean: 토스터 (toseuteo)

→ Polish: toster

→ Russian: то́стер (tóstɛr)

From toast + -er (agent noun suffix) or -er (patient suffix).

af

-er<id:agent noun><pos:agent noun suffix>

(automotive, informal, derogatory) Any of several small, box-like automobiles exemplified by the Scion xB and Honda Element.


velocidad

Borrowed from Latin vēlōcitātem. By surface analysis, veloz + -idad.


slushbox

From slush + box, in reference to the fluid-coupling action of the torque converter. A popular notion portrays this action as "slushing around" that involves greater power losses than with manual transmissions, although the notion is a comic exaggeration.

The slushbox did nothing to improve an already sluggish response.

Slushboxes are taking over the scrub. Once scorned in the bush, the automatic gearbox today is more widely accepted in traditional four-wheel drive wagons. "Bush bashers go auto." The Sunday Telegraph. 2002 July 21. Pg. A05.

automatic transmission
automatic transmission#English

(slang, automotive) Synonym of automatic transmission.


regen

en-noun

regen (countable and uncountable, plural regens)

regenerative braking
regenerative braking#English

(uncountable, rail transport, automotive) Clipping of regenerative braking.


limousine

→ Belarusian: лімузі́н (limuzín)

→ Dutch: limousine

→ English: limousine

→ German: Limousine

desc

→ Portuguese: limusine, limusina, limousine

→ Russian: лимузи́н (limuzín) (see there for further descendants)

→ Turkish: limuzin

→ Ukrainian: лімузи́н (limuzýn)

From the name of the former French region Limousin, from Limoges. The naming of the car is sometimes attributed to Limoges-born engineer Charles Jeantaud.


coupe

(US, Canada, automotive) A car with two doors (variant of coupé).


folle

Inherited from Latin follem (“bellows”), through the figurative sense of “airhead”.

(automotive) idle, neutral (of a gear wheel)


cabriolet

Unadapted borrowing from French cabriolet, from Italian cabriola.


mag

brand new tires and factory-original mags

(colloquial, automotive) Ellipsis of mag wheel.


tranny

en-noun

tranny (countable and uncountable, plural trannies)

All are shortened forms of the indicated terms + -y.

Other incidents where the tranny suddenly locks up in high gear and requires that the car be restarted to return to normal.

2012, Phil Edmonston, Lemon-Aid Used Cars and Trucks 2012–2013:

(colloquial, automotive) A vehicle's transmission.


scuttle

Borrowed from Middle French escoutille (compare French écoutille), from Old Norse skaut (“corner of a cloth, of a sail”), or alternatively from Spanish escotilla, ultimately from Gothic 𐍃𐌺𐌰𐌿𐍄𐍃 (skauts, “projecting edge, fringe”), from Proto-Germanic *skautaz (“corner; wedge; lap”). Compare German Schoß, Old English sċēat. More at sheet.

der

(automotive) A drained trough between the windscreen and bonnet of a motor vehicle, forming the intake to the heating/air-conditioning system, often also containing the windscreen wiper motor.

(automotive) By extension, the bulkhead at the front of the passenger compartment.


wishbone

(automotive) A suspension component similar in shape to a chicken wishbone.


From various combinations of having four-wheel drive, having four wheels, and/or having a four-speed transmission.

tracción de las cuatro ruedas siendo motrices

4x2 4-wheel vehicle with 2-wheel-drive(2WD)

en:four-wheel vehicle with four-wheel drive

(automotive) A four-wheel vehicle with four-wheel drive.

en:four-wheel-drive vehicle with a four-speed transmission

(automotive) A four-wheel-drive vehicle with a four-speed transmission.

(automotive, by extension) Any vehicle with four-wheel drive.


Cinquante centimètres d’eau suffisent à entraîner même les plus gros 4x4, très nombreux dans ces pays, en principe pour rouler dans les sables du désert, mais en fait pour dominer sur l’asphalte.

2018 November 23, “Dans les pays du Golfe, djellabas trempées et 4x4 noyés [In the states of the Persian Gulf, soaked djellabas and drowned 4x4]”, in Libération:

Fifty centimetres of water is enough to drag even the biggest 4x4, most common in these countries, normally designed to drive in the sand of the desert but actually used to dominate the asphalt.


barrel

barrels (plural)
barrell (alternative obsolete)

From Middle English barel, from Anglo-Norman baril, Old French baril, bareil (“barrel”), of uncertain origin. An attempt to link baril to Old French barre (“bar, bolt”) (compare Medieval Latin barra (“bar, rod”)) via assumed Vulgar Latin *barrīculum meets the phonological requirement, but fails to connect the word semantically. The alternative connection to Frankish *baril, *beril or Gothic *𐌱𐌴𐍂𐌹𐌻𐍃 (*bērils, “container for transport”), from Proto-Germanic *barilaz, *bērilaz (“barrel, jug, container”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰer- (“to carry, transport”), is more plausible as it connects not only the form of the word but also the sense; equivalent to bear + -le. Compare also Old High German biril (“jug, large pot”), Luxembourgish Bärel, Bierel (“jug, pot”), Old Norse berill (“barrel for liquids”), Old English byrla (“barrel of a horse, trunk, body”). More at bear.

vat

round vessel made from staves bound with a hoop

(automotive) A venturi (in carburetion).


four-wheel drive
four-wheel drive#English

(automotive) Initialism of four-wheel drive.

(often metonymic) A four-wheel drive vehicle.

Initialism of four-wheel drive.
A four-wheel drive vehicle.


pala

Borrowed from Latin pāla (“shovel, bezel”). Doublet of pá.


shield

From Middle English scheld, shelde, from Old English scield (“shield”), from Proto-West Germanic *skeldu, from Proto-Germanic *skelduz (“shield”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)kelH- (“cut, split”). Cognate with West Frisian skyld, Dutch schild (“shield”), German Schild (“shield”), Danish skjold (“shield”), Icelandic skjöldur (“shield”) and Faroese skjøldur (“shield”).
Compare Latin scūtum (“shield”), Irish sciath (“shield”), Latgalian škīda (“shield”), Lithuanian skydas (“shield”), Russian щит (ščit, “shield”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)kewH- (“to cover, protect”), *skey- (“to cut, split”).

noncog

(automotive, British English) Parts at the front and back of a vehicle which are meant to absorb the impact of a collision


LT

en-noun

LT (countable and uncountable, plural LTs)

(automotive) A designation for a trim level within a model of trucks; it denotes low-end (base model) features.


freno

→ Bikol Central: preno

→ Cebuano: preno

→ Magdalena Peñasco Mixtec: frenu

→ Southeastern Tepehuan: piriiñ

→ Tagalog: preno

Inherited from Latin frēnum. Cognate with Portuguese freio and French frein.

(automotive) brake (device used to slow or stop the motion of a wheel or vehicle)


rebore

However, any increase in capacity is useful and, if an engine is worn and needs a rebore, it's worth considering boring to a near maximum size rather than simply having it bored to the next oversize.

2005, Daniel Stapleton, How to Plan and Build a Fast Road Car, page 14:

(automotive) The process of modifying the bore of an engine.


phaeton

(automotive) a large open touring motorcar with a folding top


camber

From Old French cambre (“bent”), from Latin camurum, from camur (“arched”).

(automotive) The alignment on the roll axis of the wheels of a road vehicle, where positive camber signifies that the wheels are closer together at the bottom than the top.


gaiter

Borrowed from French guêtre, from Middle French guiestres, guestes pl, from Old French *gueste, from Frankish *wastiju, from Proto-Germanic *wastijō (“garment; dress”).
Cognate with Middle High German wester (“a child's chrisom-cloth”), Middle High German westebarn (“godchild”), Old English wæstling (“a coverlet”), Gothic 𐍅𐌰𐍃𐍄𐌹 (wasti, “garment; dress”).

cog

(automotive) A protective flexible sleeve covering a moving part, intended to keep the part clean.


winker

From wink (“blinking of only one eye”) + -er (suffix forming agent nouns).

silmäniskijä

A thing which is used to wink with, or which winks.

(automotive, informal) Synonym of turn signal (“each of the flashing lights on each side of a vehicle which is used to indicate that the vehicle is moving left or right”); a blinker, an indicator.


drift

en-verb

drift (third-person singular simple present drifts, present participle drifting, simple past and past participle drifted)

drifts (present singular third-person)
drifting (participle present)
drifted (participle past)
drifted (past)

From Middle English drift, dryft (“act of driving, drove, shower of rain or snow, impulse”), from Old English *drift (“drift”), from Proto-Germanic *driftiz (“drift”), from Proto-Indo-European *dʰreybʰ- (“to drive, push”). Equivalent to drive + -t; cognate with North Frisian drift (“drift”), Saterland Frisian Drift (“current, flow, stream, drift”), Dutch drift (“drift, passion, urge”), German Drift (“drift”) and Trift (“drove, pasture”), Danish drift (“impulse, instinct”), Swedish drift (“impulse, instinct”), Icelandic drift (“drift, snow-drift”).

cog

(automotive) To oversteer a vehicle, causing loss of traction, while maintaining control from entry to exit of a corner. See Drifting (motorsport).

فَحَّط

to oversteer a vehicle, causing loss of traction


core

non-rhotic, without the horse–hoarse merger

(automotive, machinery, aviation, marine) A deposit paid by the purchaser of a rebuilt part, to be refunded on return of a used, rebuildable part, or the returned rebuildable part itself.


grand

grands (plural)
grand (plural)
grande (alternative)

From Middle English grand, grond, graund, graunt, from Anglo-Norman graunt, from Old French grant, from Latin grandis. Doublet of grande and grandee.

One grand, two grand RPM

The engine, with more compression, carburetion, and cam timing than the Ambassador, could lounge comfortably below four grand and then rush to 7500 rpm, aided and abetted by a light flywheel and a close-ratio five-speed box.

1999, Cycle World Magazine, October 1999 edition, page 60:

(colloquial, automotive, plural "grand") A thousand RPM.


instrumentation

en-noun

instrumentation (countable and uncountable, plural instrumentations)

The car's instrumentation included fuel, temperature, voltimeter and oil pressure gauges, along with a speedometer and tachometer.

(automotive) On a vehicle, dashboard gauges monitoring engine functions and performance, along with other essential functions.


tint

Alteration of earlier tinct, influenced by French teinte (“tint”), from Latin tinctus (“dyed”), past participle of verb tingō (“tinge”). Doublet of tent (“kind of red wine”). Cognate with Dutch tint, Estonian tint, French teinte, German Tinte, Hungarian tinta, Italian tinta, Luxembourgish Tintin, Portuguese tinta, and Spanish tinta.

About an hour later, she noticed an all black Phantom with tints and chrome rims riding slowly through the car lot.

2010, Rochelle Magee, No Witnesses: A Perilous Journey, page 36:

I'd watch as cars marched by like a line of ants. Cars with those cool hydraulics. Cars with tints so dark, you couldn't see anything inside.

2021, Carol Park, Memoir of a Cashier: Korean Americans, Racism, and Riots:

(automotive, informal) A vehicle window that has been darkened to conceal the occupant.


track

→ Kashubian: trak (Canada)

From Middle English trak, tracke, from Old French trac (“track of horses, trail, trace”), of uncertain origin. Likely from a Germanic source, either Old Norse traðk ("a track; path; trodden spot"; > Icelandic traðk (“a track; path; tread”), Faroese traðk (“track; tracks”), Norwegian tråkke (“to trample”)) or from Middle Dutch trec, *trac, treck ("line, row, series"; > Dutch trek (“a draft; feature; trait; groove; expedition”)), German Low German Treck (“a draught; movement; passage; flow”). See tread, trek.

gloss

"line, row, series"; > Dutch <i class="Latn mention" lang="nl">trek</i> (“a draft; feature; trait; groove; expedition”)

cog

(automotive) The distance between two opposite wheels on a same axletree.

caterpillar track
caterpillar track#English

(automotive) Ellipsis of caterpillar track.


vignette

First attested in 1751. From French vignette, diminutive of vigne (“vine”), from Latin vīnea, from vīnum (“wine”). Replaced earlier Middle English vynet.

In order to drive on Bulgarian roads outside Sofia you'll need to purchase a vignette which must be displayed in the windscreen.

2008, Sofia In Your Pocket, In Your Pocket, →ISBN, page 7:

(automotive) A small sticker affixed to a vehicle windscreen to indicate that tolls have been paid.


crunch

en-verb

crunch (third-person singular simple present crunches, present participle crunching, simple past and past participle crunched)

crunches (present singular third-person)
crunching (participle present)
crunched (participle past)
crunched (past)

From earlier craunch, cranch, of imitative origin.

جَرَشَ

to crush something with a noisy crackling sound

(automotive, transitive) To cause the gears to emit a crunching sound by releasing the clutch before the gears are properly synchronised.


banger

→ Estonian: bänger

→ Finnish: bängeri

From bang + -er. The sausages were so called because of their excess water content and impervious skin, leading to the risk of explosion if not punctured before cooking.

A thing or person which bangs, in any sense.

(automotive, slang) An old, worn-out car. From a stereotypical one backfiring, making banging noises.

He drives a little four-banger to work.

(US, automotive, slang) A car or an engine; referring to the cylinders of an engine in a car. From the explosive bangs on every cylinder firing.


Clio

From the Ancient Greek Κλειώ (Kleiṓ). The award and car model were named after the goddess.

(automotive) Ellipsis of Renault Clio (“a model of car manufactured by Renault”).


Clio

Fred loved to take his Clio for a spin.

The world record is held by Terry Grant, who reverse-swerved his Renault into a slot only 32cm longer than the overall length of his car. Impressive stuff and it made me wonder what he could have pulled off with the Renaultsport 200 Cup – which, in case you hadn't spotted, is actually a Clio – with too few X chromosomes. It's exactly 20 years since the first Clio was produced – taking over the mantle of the much-loved Renault 5.

2010 January 10, Martin Love, “Where the wild thing is”, in Alan Rusbridger, editor, The Guardian, London: Guardian News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 2025-06-10:

Renault’s ad, after all, racked up millions of its views in the United States, a nation where its cars are not even for sale; and even if they were, why would viewers feel compelled to buy a Clio after watching a Clio ad that works so assiduously to avoid selling them a Clio until the last possible moment?

2020 January 8, Jonah Weiner, “Is the Viral Non-Ad Ad the Future of Advertising?”, in The New York Times, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 2020-01-08:

Polls at the time suggested that Nicole was more of a household name than John Major, Britain’s then Prime Minister, while 300,000 Clios were sold over the seven years the ads ran, also featuring Paris and the French Alps.

2023 March 18, Peter Allen, Olga Cheng, “Papa...? Nicole...? MailOnline reunites the stars of classic 90s Renault Clio ads - who haven’t seen each other in 25 YEARS”, in Daily Mail, London: DMG Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 2023-03-18:

(automotive) A car of the Renault Clio model manufactured by Renault.


hood

From Middle English hood, hod, from Old English hōd, from Proto-Germanic *hōdaz (cognate with Saterland Frisian Houd, West Frisian/Dutch hoed, German Low German Hood, German Hut). Cognate with Proto-Iranian *xawdaH (“hat”) (compare Avestan 𐬑𐬂𐬛𐬀 (xåda), Old Persian 𐎧𐎢𐎭 (x-u-d /xaudā/)), from Proto-Indo-European *kadʰ- (“to cover”). More at hat.

kapuç

covering for the head attached to a larger garment such as a jacket or cloak

(automotive, chiefly UK) A soft top of a convertible car or carriage.

гюрук

(automotive, chiefly US, Canada) The hinged cover over the engine of a motor vehicle, known as a bonnet in other countries.

enjinkap

hinged cover over the engine of a motor vehicle, known as a bonnet in other countries; ''(by extension)'' cover over the engine, driving machinery or inner workings of something


dim

dim m (definite singular dimmen, indefinite plural dimmar, definite plural dimmane)

dimmen (definite singular)
dimmar (indefinite plural)
dimmane (definite plural)

From the Old Norse adjective dimmr, from Proto-Germanic *dimmaz. The neuter noun is derived from the adjective. The automotive senses may be a Back-formation from of the verb dimme.

(automotive, colloquial) a switching of one's headlamps from high-beam to low-beam

(automotive, colloquial) lever, button or other


pony

→ Belarusian: по́ні (póni)

→ Danish: pony

→ Dutch: pony
→ Indonesian: poni

→ Finnish: poni

→ French: poney
→ Romanian: ponei

→ Georgian: პონი (ṗoni)

→ German: Pony
→ Estonian: poni

→ Hungarian: póni

→ Irish: pónaí

→ Italian: pony

→ Japanese: ポニー (ponī)

→ Lithuanian: ponis

→ Maltese: poni

→ Norwegian: ponni

desc

→ Portuguese: pónei, pônei (Brazil), poney

→ Russian: пони (poni)

→ Spanish: poni

→ Swedish: ponny

→ Ukrainian: по́ні (póni)

1659 from Scots powny, apparently from Middle French poulenet (“little foal”), ultimately from Late Latin pullanus (“young of an animal”), from pullus (cognate to English foal). Sense “small serving of alcohol” from 19th century, both for small sizes generally and for a quarter pint specifically, from the small size.

uder

How many ponies are under the hood?


flasher

(automotive) An indicator or turn signal.


premium

→ German: premium

→ Spanish: premium, prémium

(automotive) High-end; belonging to the market segment between mid-market and luxury.


blinker

blinker (indefinite nominative singular)
blinkers (genitive indefinite singular)
blinkern (definite nominative singular)
blinkerns (definite genitive singular)
blinkers (indefinite nominative plural)
blinkrar (indefinite nominative plural)
blinkers (genitive indefinite plural)
blinkrars (genitive indefinite plural)
blinkersen (definite nominative plural)
blinkrarna (definite nominative plural)
blinkersens (definite genitive plural)
blinkrarnas (definite genitive plural)

(automotive) (US) a turn signal, (Britain, Australia, New Zealand) an indicator (that blinks)


bumper

Dutch: bumper

Japanese: バンパー (banpā)

Korean: 범퍼 (beompeo)

Russian: ба́мпер (bámper)

(automotive) Parts at the front and back of a vehicle which are meant to absorb the impact of a collision; fender.


corner

en-verb

corner (third-person singular simple present corners, present participle cornering, simple past and past participle cornered)

corners (present singular third-person)
cornering (participle present)
cornered (participle past)
cornered (past)

From Middle English corner, from Anglo-Norman cornere (compare Old French cornier, corniere (“corner”)), from Old French corne (“corner, angle”, literally “a horn, projecting point”), from Vulgar Latin *corna (“horn”), from Latin cornua, plural of cornū (“projecting point, end, horn”). The sense of "angle, corner" in Old French is not found in Latin or other Romance languages. It was possibly calqued from Frankish *hurnijā (“corner, angle”), which is similar to, and derived from *hurn, the Frankish word for "horn". Displaced native cognate Middle English hirn, herne, from Old English hyrne, from Proto-Germanic *hurnijǭ (“little horn, hook, angle, corner”), whence modern English hirn (“nook, corner”), itself related to horn.

cog

As the stock car driver cornered the last turn, he lost control and spun out.

(automotive, transitive) To turn a corner or drive around a curve.

That BMW corners well, but the suspension is too stiff.

(automotive, intransitive) To handle while moving around a corner in a road or otherwise turning.


halo

From Latin halōs, from Ancient Greek ἅλως (hálōs, “threshing floor; disk; disk of the sun or moon; ring of light around the sun or moon”), of unknown origin. The threshing floor's circular threshold or oxen walking on it in a circle gave rise to the other meanings. Used in English since 1563; the sense of light around someone’s head since 1646.

aureole

luminous disc around head of saints in paintings

massive astronomical compact halo object

massive astrophysical compact halo object

(automotive) Ellipsis of halo headlight.


stall

en-verb

stall (third-person singular simple present stalls, present participle stalling, simple past and past participle stalled)

stalls (present singular third-person)
stalling (participle present)
stalled (participle past)
stalled (past)

From Middle English stallen (“to abide, dwell, place in a location, stop, come to a standstill”), partly from Old French estaler, ultimately from the same origin as Etymology 1 (see above); and partly from Middle English stalle (“fixed position, stall”).

der

(transitive, automotive) To cause the engine of a manual-transmission car or truck to stop by going too slowly for the selected gear.


preignition

(automotive) The premature detonation of a fuel charge in Four-stroke cycle engines.

aikainen sytytys

premature detonation in four-stroke cycle engines


rollback

en-noun

rollback (countable and uncountable, plural rollbacks)

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-rollback.wav

The noun is a deverbal from roll back. The verb is a back-formation from the noun despite being redundant to roll back.

(informal, automotive) A form of flatbed truck adapted or designed specifically as a tow truck or for transporting other vehicles.


Toyota

en-proper noun

Toyota (countable and uncountable, plural Toyotas)

[tɔɪ̯ˈoʊ̯ɾə]

[taɪ̯ˈoʊ̯ɾə]

From Japanese トヨタ (Toyota), from the name of the Toyoda family. The spelling was changed to Toyota because of a belief that it sounded better, or because トヨタ takes eight strokes to write, and 8 is considered lucky.

(automotive) The Toyota Motor Corporation, a Japanese manufacturer of cars.

It is the prelapsarian Polynesia of free love, noble savagery, Kon Tiki rafting and Easter Island statuary, not the Levi’s-wearing, Toyota-driving, pédalo-pushing, efflorescent-cocktails-in-a-split-coconut-serving pseudo-paradise that awaits latter-day travellers.

2001, Stephen Brown, Marketing – the Retro Revolution, London: SAGE Publications, →ISBN, page 139:

(automotive) A brand of car manufactured by Toyota.


Toyota

[tɔɪ̯ˈoʊ̯ɾə]

[taɪ̯ˈoʊ̯ɾə]


Mercedes

de-noun

Mercedes m (strong, genitive Mercedes, plural Mercedesse)

Mercedes (genitive)
Mercedesse (plural)
Mercedes (nominative singular)
Mercedesse (definite nominative plural)
Mercedes (genitive singular)
Mercedesse (definite genitive plural)
Mercedes (dative singular)
Mercedessen (dative definite plural)
Mercedes (accusative singular)
Mercedesse (accusative definite plural)

(automotive) Mercedes (car manufactured by Mercedes-Benz)


Mercedes

[mɨɾˈse.ðɨʃ]


bracketry

(automotive) The mounting hardware used to hold one part to another, typically consisting of stamped metal pieces that make up the actual bracket, and any other bolts, nuts, rubber etc. needed to complete the mounting of the part.


ute

Clipping of utility vehicle, originating from the 1930s term coupé utility

The Reverend John Flynn, a man of simple tastes, was always recognisable in the outback, dressed in a suit, driving an old ute and puffing on a pipe.

2007, Sheryl Persson, The Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia, Australia: Exisle Publishing, →ISBN, page 40:

Still, given the choice between being stuck behind a ute in tropical scenery and spending four to five hours driving through stretches of semi-desert, I′d rather have the ute-plus-heart-attack.

2008, Penelope Adams, Why Women Are Stupid, Lulu, →ISBN, page 105:

A sample body was made in 1933 and the first utilities, or ‘utes’, rolled off the production line next year. Dubbed ‘the Kangaroo Chaser’ by Henry Ford when Bandt displayed two examples in Detroit, United States of America, in 1935, the ute was quickly recognised as the ideal farmers' vehicle.

2009, Damian Veltri, “Bandt, Louis (Lewis) Thornett (1910–1987)”, in Dianne Lingmore, Darryl Bennet, editors, Australian Dictionary of Biography, volume 17 1981–1990: A–K, →ISBN, page 55:

Paramedics rushed Melissa Dennis to the Royal Adelaide hospital with serious injuries after she was hit by a ute at Medindie on Saturday night.

2023 December 31, Matthew Weaver, “Rohan Dennis charged over death of wife, fellow cyclist Melissa Dennis”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:

(Australia, New Zealand, automotive) A small vehicle based on the same platform as a family car but with a unibody construction and a built-in open tray area for carrying goods; similar but not identical to a pick-up truck.

皮卡車 /皮卡车

small vehicle with a built-in open tray area for carrying goods


gallery

From Middle English galery, gallerye, from Middle French galerie, gallerie, from Old French galerie, gallerie (“a long portico, a gallery”), from Medieval Latin galeria (“gallery”), of unknown origin. Perhaps an alteration of Latin galilea (“church porch”), probably from Latin Galilaea, Galilee, region of Israel. More at Galilee.

unk

unknown origin

the main gallery

At about 2500 r.p.m., as much oil is by-passed through the cooler as the amount delivered to the main gallery and at higher engine speeds the flow through the cooler is appreciably greater.

2012, Colin Campbell, The Sports Car: Its design and performance, page 92:

Metal grit from a previous engine failure was lodged in the oil galleries and had come loose upon driving the vehicle.

2014, Tim Gilles, Automotive Engines, page 164:

(automotive) A channel that carries engine oil to parts of the engine that need lubrication, such as the main bearings.


sprint

Unadapted borrowing from English sprint.

(automotive) a car having strong acceleration


buc

From Frankish *būk (“belly”), from Proto-Germanic *būkaz (“belly, stomach”). Compare Spanish buque (“vessel”) and Italian buco (“hole”).


toc

(automotive) engine knocking (toc moteur), especially when reduplicated as toc-toc


Selected so as to be able to continue using most of the labelling from its former name 901 after its competitor Peugeot objected that it had the legal rights to 3-digit automotive model names with a central 0 in the French market. The name 901 had been selected since it was the first version of the 6th major design project after the earlier Porsche 356, which the 911 largely replaced. The name is pronounced "nine-eleven" by analogy with German Neunelfer.

(automotive) A prominent family of sports cars manufactured by Porsche.


console

Borrowed from French console (“bracket”, noun), from consoler (“to console, to comfort”, verb).
Sense of “bracket” either due to a bracket alleviating the load, or due to brackets being decorated with the Christian figure of a consolateur (“consoler”), itself perhaps a pun on the first sense (alleviating load).
Originally used for the bracket itself, then for wall-mounted tables (mounted with a bracket), then for free-standing tables placed against a wall. Use for control system dates at least to 1880s for an “organ console”; use for electrical or electronic control systems dates at least to 1930s in radio, television, and system control, particularly as “mixer console” or “control console”, attached to an equipment rack. This was popularized in computers by mainframes such as the IBM 704 (1954) in terms such as “operator’s console” or “console typewriter”, and then generalized to any attached equipment, particularly for user interaction. The automotive sense harks back to earlier use as “support”.

Could you put my phone in the centre console?

(automotive) A storage tray or container mounted between the seats of an automobile.

конзола

automotive: storage tray or container mounted between the seats of an automobile


tanker

(automotive, US) A tank truck (tanker truck).

Nor is the government facing a strike by tanker drivers, as was the case in early 1979 during the winter of discontent.

2021 September 23, Larry Elliott, “Petrol disruption will fuel fears of new winter of discontent”, in The Guardian:

(automotive, UK) A fuel tanker, petrol tanker, road tanker.


freccia

Borrowed from Old French fleche, from Vulgar Latin *fleccia, of Frankish origin.


HOT

en-noun

HOT (countable and uncountable, plural HOTs)

(automotive) Acronym of high-output turbo (turbocharger).


caster

casters (plural)
castor (alternative UK)

From cast + -er; the wheel sense comes from obsolete cast (“to turn”).

In addition, caster helps to reduce steering effort and to return the steering wheel to the center position after a turn.

2008, Ronald G Haefner, The Car Care Book, →ISBN, page 238:

(automotive) The angle of the axis around which a car's front wheels rotate when the steering wheel is turned, with a vertical axis being defined as zero caster.


transmission

transmission (countable and uncountable, plural transmissions)

transmissions (plural)
trans (alternative)
xmission (alternative)

Borrowed from Latin transmissionem (accusative of transmissio), from transmittere.

monochromated scanning transmission electron microscope

Any vehicle with an internal combustion engine needs a transmission that can alter the gear ratio (engine RPM to wheel RPM) as the vehicle's speed changes.

(automotive, trucking, heavy equipment) A device, usually an assembly of gears (gearbox) plus a clutch or torque converter, through which power is sent from the engine to the driveshaft in an automobile (motor car or motor truck).

trucking; heavy equipment; trucking; heavy equipment


VIN

vehicle identification number
vehicle identification number#English

(automotive) Acronym of vehicle identification number.


spoiler

→ Catalan: espòiler

→ Czech: spoiler

→ French: spoiler

→ Georgian: სპოილერი (sṗoileri)

→ German: Spoiler

→ Italian: spoiler

→ Polish: spoiler

→ Portuguese: spoiler

→ Russian: спо́йлер (spójler)

→ Spanish: spoiler

→ Turkish: spoiler

→ Ukrainian: спо́йлер (spójler)

спо́йлер

automobiles: device to reduce lift and increase downforce

(automotive) A device to reduce lift and increase downforce.


spoiler

spoiler (nominative singular)
spoilery (nominative plural)
spoileru (genitive singular)
spoilerů (genitive plural)
spoileru (dative singular)
spoilerům (dative plural)
spoiler (accusative singular)
spoilery (accusative plural)
spoilere (singular vocative)
spoilery (plural vocative)
spoileru (locative singular)
spoilerech (locative plural)
spoilerem (instrumental singular)
spoilery (instrumental plural)

Unadapted borrowing from English spoiler.


spoiler

(automotive) spoiler (device to reduce lift and increase downforce)


spoiler

spoilers (plural)
spoiler (plural)
espóiler (alternative)

(automotive) spoiler (a device to reduce lift and increase downforce)


Mario

Borrowed from Italian and Spanish Mario, both of which coming from Latin Marius.

(automotive, motor racing, figurative) Ellipsis of Mario Andretti (“one who drives fast or recklessly”).


waistline

[...] with the adoption of a curved bodyside profile Bulleid considerably raised the height of the waistline and at the shoulder height of seated passengers, just where the extra space was most needed.

1979 August, Graham Burtenshaw, Michael S. Welch, “O.V.S. Bulleid's SR loco-hauled coaches - 1”, in Railway World, page 396:

(automotive) The horizontal line just below the windows of a car or other vehicle.


ps

(automotive, in classified ads) Abbreviation of power steering.


blow-by

en-noun

blow-by (countable and uncountable, plural blow-bys)

(automotive) In an internal combustion engine, any burnt or unburnt matter escaping from the cylinder, past the (worn) rings on the piston, and into the crankcase.


AFL

(automotive) Initialism of adaptive front light.


step on it

en-verb

step on it (third-person singular simple present steps on it, present participle stepping on it, simple past and past participle stepped on it)

steps on it (present singular third-person)
stepping on it (participle present)
stepped on it (participle past)
stepped on it (past)

An automobile accelerator is usually a foot pedal, so stepping down harder increases the acceleration.

If I step on it, I can still arrive on time.

(automotive) To drive fast; to step on the accelerator.


blindside

blindsides (plural)
blind side (alternative)
blind-side (alternative)

(automotive) A driver's field of blindness around an automobile; the side areas behind the driver.


bus lane

(automotive, road transport) A traffic lane designated for the use of buses.


roadworthy

en-adj

roadworthy (comparative more roadworthy, superlative most roadworthy)

more roadworthy (comparative)
most roadworthy (superlative)

It was one of the rapidest Constitutions ever put together; made, some say in eight days, by Hérault Séchelles and others; probably a workmanlike, roadworthy Constitution enough; — on which point, however, we are, for some reasons, little called to form a judgment.

1851, Thomas Carlyle, The French Revolution: A History:

The coupe shrieked as it hit the curve, but Harry managed the twist with precision and the roadworthy car responded.

1937 July 15, Maxwell Grant, “House of Silence”, in The Shadow:

(automotive, road transport) Being able to be driven, or suitable for driving, on the open road.


airbag

airbags (plural)
air-bag (alternative)
air bag (alternative)

In a fast German car / I'm amazed that I survived / An airbag saved my life

1997, “Airbag”, in OK Computer, performed by Radiohead:

However, the challenges for the railway world are much greater than for automotive as we generally have more occupants, higher speeds, greater masses, higher energies, and an absence of seatbelts or airbags to contend with.

2021 December 29, Dominique Louis, “Causal analysis: crashworthiness at Sandilands”, in RAIL, number 947, page 32:

(automotive) A protective system in automobiles in which when a crash occurs, a bag containing nitrogen, formed by the explosive decomposition of sodium azide, quickly inflates in front of the driver or passenger, preventing injury to the head. Side air bags, including the back seat passengers, also prevent injury.


airbag

Unadapted borrowing from English airbag.

(automotive) airbag (a protective system in automobiles)


drifter

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-drifter.wav

However, sensing the available traction may actually be more important to a drifter.

2006, Paul Morton, How to Drift: The Art of Oversteer, page 32:

For professional drifters looking for even more fine-tuning of their suspension setups, some companies offer more advanced two-way adjustable shocks […]

2007, Calvin Wan, Calvin Wan's Drifting Performance Handbook, page 132:

While this method is used by a few drifters in rear-wheel drive cars, this technique is really the only way one can drift in a front-wheel drive car.

2009, Michael Bender, The Fast, the Fraudulent and the Fatal, page 50:

(automotive) A driver who uses driving techniques to modify vehicle traction to cause a vehicle to slide or power slide rather than drive in line with the tires.


slick

From Middle English slicke, slike, slyke, from Old English slīc (“sleek, smooth; crafty, cunning, slick”), from Proto-Germanic *slīkaz (“sleek, smooth”), from Proto-Indo-European *sleyg-, *sleyǵ- (“to glide, smooth, spread”).
Akin to Dutch sluik, dialectal Dutch sleek (“even, smooth”), Old Norse slíkr (“sleek, smooth”), Old English slician (“to make sleek, smooth, or glossy”).

cog

You'll go much faster if you put on slicks.

(sports, automotive) A tire with a smooth surface instead of a tread pattern, often used in auto racing.


topless

(automotive) A convertible car having the top retracted or otherwise open.


trim

en-noun

trim (countable and uncountable, plural trims)

From Middle English trimen, trymen, trümen, from Old English trymman (“to make firm; strengthen”), from Proto-West Germanic *trummjan, from Proto-Germanic *trumjaną (“to make fast; strengthen”), from Proto-Germanic *trumaz (“firm; strong; sound”).

varustelutaso

the manner in which something is equipped

Holonyms: make; model

Near-synonym: submodel

This model of car comes in three different trims.

If you want air conditioning, you'll need to move up to the next-higher trim level.

(countable) The manner in which something is equipped or adorned; order; disposition.

(especially automotive) An established configuration of features within a model.


chopped

en-adj

chopped (comparative more chopped, superlative most chopped)

more chopped (comparative)
most chopped (superlative)

He later bought a '33 Ford coupe, chopped and channeled it and installed a Mercury engine.

1958, Charles Beaumont, William F. Nolan, Omnibus of Speed: An Introduction to the World of Motor Sport, Putnam, page 183:

(automotive, slang) Having a vehicle's height reduced by horizontal trimming of the roofline.


fianchetto

→ English: fianchetto

→ Spanish: fianchetto


bootlegger reverse

en-noun

bootlegger reverse (plural bootlegger reverses)

(US, automotive) An automobile driving maneuver where the driver puts the vehicle in a controlled skid in order to quickly reverse the vehicle's bearing to the opposite direction.


Chassis

de-noun

Chassis n (strong, genitive Chassis, plural Chassis)

Chassis (genitive)
Chassis (plural)
Chassis (nominative singular)
Chassis (definite nominative plural)
Chassis (genitive singular)
Chassis (definite genitive plural)
Chassis (dative singular)
Chassis (dative definite plural)
Chassis (accusative singular)
Chassis (accusative definite plural)


D

en-noun

D (countable and uncountable, plural Ds)

(automotive) Abbreviation of drive, the setting of an automatic transmission.


Himmel

de-noun

Himmel m (strong, genitive Himmels, plural Himmel)

Himmels (genitive)
Himmel (plural)
Himmel (nominative singular)
Himmel (definite nominative plural)
Himmels (genitive singular)
Himmel (definite genitive plural)
Himmel (dative singular)
Himmeln (dative definite plural)
Himmel (accusative singular)
Himmel (accusative definite plural)

From Middle High German himel, from Old High German himil, from Proto-West Germanic *himil.

(automotive) headliner (interior fabric covering the roof of a vehicle)


Kat

Kat m (strong, genitive Kats or Kat, plural Kats)

Kats (genitive)
Kat (genitive)
Kats (plural)
Kat (nominative singular)
Kats (definite nominative plural)
Kats (genitive singular)
Kat (genitive singular)
Kats (definite genitive plural)
Kat (dative singular)
Kats (dative definite plural)
Kat (accusative singular)
Kats (accusative definite plural)

(automotive, informal) clipping of Katalysator (“catalytic converter”)


Limousine

Limousine f (genitive Limousine, plural Limousinen)

Limousine (genitive)
Limousinen (plural)
Limousine (nominative singular)
Limousinen (definite nominative plural)
Limousine (genitive singular)
Limousinen (definite genitive plural)
Limousine (dative singular)
Limousinen (dative definite plural)
Limousine (accusative singular)
Limousinen (accusative definite plural)

(automotive) saloon car/sedan (car with a lowered boot/trunk)


T

en-noun

T (countable and uncountable, plural Ts)

(automotive) The Ford Motor Company's Model T automobile.


Taurus

From Latin Taurus (from taurus (“bull”)), from Ancient Greek Ταῦρος (Taûros); compare Aramaic תּוֹר (tor), Arabic ثَوْر (ṯawr). Latin taurus (“bull”) is a doublet of steer, tur, Tavros, and Tarvos.

doublet

(automobile) An automobile model produced by the Ford Motor Company (1986-present).


Tempo

Tempos (plural)
Tempoes (plural)
tempo (alternative)

Genericization of the trademark Tempo. From the name of a popular manufacturer of such structures. Clipping of temporary.

(Quebec, automotive) A type of car shelter, a temporary kit-built prefabricated steel-framed high tunnel peaked hoop house with an impermeable translucent plastic fabric cover, and flap doors.


Tempo

Genericization of the trademark Tempo. From the name of a popular manufacturer of such structures. Clipping of temporaire.

(Quebec, automotive) Tempo: A type of temporary car shelter


V

(automotive, dated) Abbreviation of venturi.


Winker

de-noun

Winker m (strong, genitive Winkers, plural Winker)

Winkers (genitive)
Winker (plural)
Winker (nominative singular)
Winker (definite nominative plural)
Winkers (genitive singular)
Winker (definite genitive plural)
Winker (dative singular)
Winkern (dative definite plural)
Winker (accusative singular)
Winker (accusative definite plural)

→ Japanese: ウインカー (uinkā)

From Middle High German winker, winkære, equivalent to winken (“to wave”) + -er.

(automotive, driving) indicator, blinker


pb

(automotive, in classified ads) Abbreviation of power brakes.


locker

From lock (lock + -er (patient suffix) or -er (agent noun suffix)) from Old English loc (“fastening, enclosure”), from Proto-Germanic *luką. Cognate with German Loch, Dutch luik, and Dutch loket.

шка́фчик

запирающийся

я́щик

запирающийся

locking differential
locking differential


DD

en-noun

DD (countable and uncountable, plural DDs)

(automotive) Initialism of daily driver: a vehicle which is used for everyday commuting, unlike a weekend warrior / Sunday Funday vehicle.


scoop

From Middle English scope, schoupe, a borrowing from Middle Dutch scoep, scuep, schope, schoepe (“bucket for bailing water”) and Middle Dutch schoppe, scoppe, schuppe ("a scoop, shovel"; > Modern Dutch schop (“spade”)), from Proto-Germanic *skuppǭ, *skuppijǭ, from Proto-Indo-European *(s)kep- (“to cut, to scrape, to hack”). Cognate with Old Frisian skuppe (“shovel”), Middle Low German schōpe (“scoop, shovel”), German Low German Schüppe, Schüpp (“shovel”), German Schüppe, Schippe (“shovel, spade”). Related to English shovel.

gloss

"a scoop, shovel"; > Modern Dutch <i class="Latn mention" lang="nl">schop</i> (“spade”)

cog

(automotive) An opening in a hood/bonnet or other body panel to admit air, usually for cooling the engine.


COE

(automotive) Initialism of cab over engine.


COE

(automotive) Initialism of cab-over-engine.


squib

Possibly imitative of a small explosion.

unk

Possibly

(automotive) The heating element used to set off the sodium azide pellets in a vehicle's airbag.


berlina

berlinas (plural)
berlinda (alternative)


ICE

“ICE-ing is EV owner-speak for when an internal combustion engine (ICE) car blocks or parks in a charging point space. On EV internet forums, stories of drivers being ICEd abound.

2017 May 18, James Foxall, “Electric car drivers face queues and quarrels”, in The Daily Telegraph:

internal combustion engine
internal combustion engine#English

(automotive) Acronym of internal combustion engine.

in-car entertainment
w:in-car entertainment

(automotive) Initialism of in-car entertainment.