LC

en-noun

LC (countable and uncountable, plural LCs)

(engineering, metrology) Initialism of least count.


bayonet

From French baïonnette, named after the French town of Bayonne, where the plug bayonet was invented.

(engineering) A pin which plays in and out of holes made to receive it, and which thus serves to engage or disengage parts of the machinery.


penny in the fusebox

The fix I made was just a penny in the fusebox; we need to revisit it and fix the problem for real.

(idiomatic, engineering) An improvised repair made with no regard for safety.


principal

principal (countable and uncountable, plural principals)

principals (plural)
principall (alternative obsolete)

From Middle English principal, from Old French principal, from Latin prīncipālis.

Principal (education)
Principal value
principal

(architecture, engineering) The construction that gives shape and strength to a roof, generally a truss of timber or iron; or, loosely, the most important member of a piece of framing.

kurkihirsi

architecture: construction that gives shape and strength to a roof


lag

lag (countable and uncountable, plural lags)

→ Finnish: lagi

→ Swedish: lagg n

卡

(Internet) bad connection, loss of connection

A stave of a cask, drum, etc.; especially (engineering) one of the narrow boards or staves forming the covering of a cylindrical object, such as a boiler, or the cylinder of a carding machine or steam engine.


flexible

From Middle French flexible, from Latin flexibilis, from flectō (“I bend, curve”).
Morphologically flex + -ible.

Alcan is mostly flexibles -- and so it boosts Amcor's flexible packaging business to a globally significant $7 billion one.

2009 August 19, Terry McCrann, “Win-win deal for the times”, in Herald Sun, archived from the original on 2009-08-22:

(chiefly engineering and manufacturing) Something that is flexible.


master

masters (plural)
maistre (alternative archaic)
Marse (alternative Caribbean US dialectal obsolete)
marse (alternative Caribbean US dialectal obsolete)
mas'r (alternative)
Master (alternative)
mastre (alternative obsolete)
maister (alternative obsolete)
mayster (alternative obsolete)
Massa (alternative)
massa (alternative)
massah (alternative)
massy (alternative)
masta (alternative)
Mastah (alternative)
mastah (alternative)
mastuh (alternative)
measter (alternative UK obsolete pronunciation-spelling)
mester (alternative dialectal)
mister (alternative dialectal)

Sranan Tongo: masra

→ Catalan: màster

→ Finnish: master

→ French: master

→ German: Master

→ Polish: master

→ Portuguese: máster

→ Spanish: máster

→ Turkish: master

From Middle English maister, mayster, meister (noun) and maistren (verb), from Old English mǣster, mæġster, mæġester, mæġister, magister (“master”), from Latin magister (“chief, teacher, leader”), from Old Latin magester, from Proto-Indo-European *méǵh₂s, (as in magnus (“great”)) + -ester/-ister (compare minister (“servant”)). Reinforced by Old French maistre, mestre (noun) and maistriier, maister (verb) from the same Latin source. Compare also Saterland Frisian Mäster (“master”), West Frisian master (“master”), Dutch meester (“master”), German Meister (“master”). Doublet of maestro, magister, and meister.

doublet

Southern US, African-American Vernacular, obsolete

use the master's tools to dismantle the master's house

a master wheel

a master database

(engineering, computing) A device that is controlling other devices or is an authoritative source.

master

engineering: device that is controlling other devices or is an authoritative source


joggle

From jog (noun) + -le (diminutive ending).

(engineering) A step formed in material by two adjacent reverse bends.


nutate

en-verb

nutate (third-person singular simple present nutates, present participle nutating, simple past and past participle nutated)

nutates (present singular third-person)
nutating (participle present)
nutated (participle past)
nutated (past)

Back-formation from nutation (1610s), from Latin nūtātiō (“nodding”), from nūtō (“I nod”), from Proto-Indo-European *neu-. Compare mutate.

(intransitive, engineering) To wobble; to make a circular rocking motion.


ruff

Clipping of ruffle, or possibly from rough.

The stroke of the cut-off valves is very short, and the ruffs on the parts, g, g, regulate its length.

1835 January, James Whitelaw, “A Method of Working the Slides and Valves of Steam Engines when Using Steam Expansively”, in The Repertory of Patent Inventions, and Other Discoveries & Improvements in Arts, Manufactures, and Agriculture; …, volume III, number XIII (New Series), London: Published for the proprietor, by Simpkin, Marshall, and Co. Stationers' Hall Court, →OCLC, page 63, column 1:

This plate has a slot in it lengthwise to admit of its being shifted a sixth part of the circumference of the ruff,[…].

1846 February 25, “Specification of the Patent Granted to William Robertson, Machine-maker, of Gateside, in the Parish of Neilston, Renfrewshire, for Certain Improvements in the Machinery for Spinning and Twisting Cotton, Silk, Wool, Flax, and Other Fibrous Substances.—Sealed Feb. 25, 1846”, in The Repertory of Patent Inventions, and Other Discoveries & Improvements in Arts, Manufactures, and Agriculture; …, volume VIII, number 4 (Enlarged Series), London: Published for the proprietor, by Alexander Macintosh, Great New Street; and sold by Simpkin, Marshall, and Co., Stationers' Hall Court; J. Weale, High Holborn; and G. Hebert, Cheapside, published October 1846, →OCLC, page 205:

(engineering) A collar on a shaft or other piece to prevent endwise motion.

kaulus

collar on a shaft or similar to prevent endwise motion


spline

spline (third-person singular simple present splines, present participle splining, simple past and past participle splined)

splines (present singular third-person)
splining (participle present)
splined (participle past)
splined (past)

Mid-1700s East Anglian dialect. Origin uncertain but perhaps from Old Danish splind or North Frisian splinj and ultimately related to the root of splinter.

Machining a straight spline with a lathe. Sometimes the task of splining a shaft comes up during a repair. Instead of sending out the job, use this setup to mill the splines on a lathe.

1965 August, Popular Science, volume 187, number 2, page 133:

Engineers did not think two crankshafts could be synchronized. Wood, by splining the shafts in each gear box, proved it could be done.

1935 September, Popular Mechanics, volume 64, number 3, page 408:

These packs can be holding or driving devices, depending on what they are splined to.

2004, Jack Erjavec, TechOne automatic transmissions, page 311:

Splined bars are a big recent trend. Originally used in racing, the idea is to have a straight torsion bar with the ends splined like an axle and separate arms that fit on each end to mount the end links

2011, Mark Savitske, How to Make Your Muscle Car Handle, page 85:

(engineering) To fasten to or together with a spline.


tensor

en-noun

tensor (plural tensors or (muscle) tensores)

Borrowed from New Latin tensor (“that which stretches”), equivalent to tense + -or. Anatomical sense from 1704.
Introduced in the 1840s by William Rowan Hamilton as an algebraic quantity unrelated to the modern notion of tensor.
The contemporary mathematical meaning was introduced (as German Tensor) by Woldemar Voigt (1898) and adopted in English from 1915 (in the context of general relativity), obscuring the earlier Hamiltonian sense. The mathematical object is so named because an early application of tensors was the study of materials stretching under tension. (See, for example, Cauchy stress tensor on Wikipedia.Wikipedia)

pedia

multidimensional array
multidimensional array

(mathematics, linear algebra, physics) A mathematical object that describes linear relations on scalars, vectors, matrices and other algebraic objects, and is represented as a multidimensional array.

(engineering, computing) A multidimensional array with (at least) two dimensions.


tenter

Via Old French, perhaps from Latin tentorium.

(engineering) A kind of governor, or regulating device.


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

(transitive, engineering) To enlarge or shape, as a hole, with a drift.

aventaa

to enlarge or shape, as a hole, with a drift


core

en-noun

core (countable and uncountable, plural cores)

desc

Translingual: core eudicots, core Malvales

From Middle English core, kore, coor (“apple-core, pith”), of obscure and uncertain origin. Possibly of native English origin, from Old English *cor, related to Old English *coruc, *corc (diminutive) (> Middle English cork, crok (“core of an apple or other fruit, heart of an onion”)) and Old English corn (“seed", also "grain”); or alternatively perhaps from Old French cuer (“heart”), from Latin cor (“heart”); or from Old French cors (“body”), from Latin corpus (“body”). Compare also Middle English colk, coke, coll (“the heart or centre of an apple or onion, core”), Dutch kern (“core”), German Kern (“core”). See also heart, corpse.

unc

obscure and uncertain

non-rhotic, without the horse–hoarse merger

particular parts of technical instruments or machines essential in function:

(engineering, manufacturing) The portion of a mold that creates a cavity or impression within the part (casting or molded part) or that makes a hole in or through the part.

a floor panel with a Nomex honeycomb core

(engineering) The material between surface materials in a structured composite sandwich material.

In the engine room, the changing angle dropped the melted core to the deck. The hot mass attacked the steel deck first, burning through that, then the titanium of the hull. Five seconds later the engine room was vented to the sea.

1984, Tom Clancy, “The Eighth Day: Friday, 10 December”, in The Hunt for Red October, Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press, →ISBN, pages 194–195:

(engineering, nuclear physics) The inner part of a nuclear reactor, in which the nuclear reaction takes place.


insulation

en-noun

insulation (countable and uncountable, plural insulations)

/ˌɪnsəˈleɪʃən/

(engineering) The act of separating a body from others by nonconductors, so as to prevent the transfer of electricity, heat, or sound

մեկուսացում

(engineering) The state of a body so separated.


lap

From Middle English lappe, from Old English læppa (“skirt or flap of a garment”), from Proto-Germanic *lappô (“cloth; rag”), of uncertain origin, possibly Proto-Indo-European *leb- (“to hang loosely”). Cognate with Dutch lap (“cloth; rag”), German Lappen (“cloth; lobe; flap”), Icelandic leppur (“rag; patch”).

der

(engineering) A component that overlaps or covers any portion of itself or of an adjacent component.

delantal

engineering, A component that overlaps or covers any portion of itself or of an adjacent component


node

→ Irish: nód

From Middle English node, borrowed from Latin nōdus. Doublet of knot, knout, and nodus.

(engineering) The point at which the lines of a funicular machine meet from different angular directions.

kohtaamispaikka

engineering: point at which the lines of a funicular meet


shell

From Middle English schelle, from Old English sċiell, from Proto-West Germanic *skallju, from Proto-Germanic *skaljō, from Proto-Indo-European *(s)kelH- (“to split, cleave”).
Compare West Frisian skyl (“peel, rind”), Dutch schil (“peel, skin, rink”), Low German Schell (“shell, scale”), Irish scelec (“pebble”), Old Church Slavonic сколика (skolika, “shell”). More at shale.
Doublet of sheal.
* (computing): From being viewed as an outer layer of interface between the user and the operating-system internals.


strain

en-noun

strain (countable and uncountable, plural strains)

→ Irish: straidhn

From Middle English straynen, streinen, streynen, from Old French estreindre (whence French étreindre (“to grip”)), from Latin stringō (“to draw tight together, to tie”).

der

Detailed records are kept of the strains imposed on the bridge by the violent gales that frequently sweep the firth, and a self-recording wind gauge is fixed on the top of the tower.

1950 March, H. A. Vallance, “On Foot Across the Forth Bridge”, in Railway Magazine, page 149:

(uncountable, engineering) A dimensionless measure of object deformation either referring to engineering strain or true strain.

деформация

engineering: measure of object deformation


kludge

kludges (plural)
cludge (alternative)
kluge (alternative)

Perhaps from British military slang, possibly based on Scots word kludge or kludgie (“common toilet”), or perhaps from German klug (“clever”). Alternatively, possibly related to Polish klucz (“key, clue, main point”) and Russian ключ (ključ, “key, clue”).
Alternatively, perhaps from (a form related to) Germanic words such as Dutch Low Saxon klütje (“(little) dumpling, clod”), Dutch kluit(je) or Jutland Danish klyt (“piece of bad workmanship, klud(g)e”); compare and standard Danish kludder (“mess, disorder”). (Compare klutz.)
There is evidence that kluge (which see) was once a separate word with similar meaning but separate derivation, but the spelling kludge was widely popularized in the US by a 1962 Datamation article on "How to Design a Kludge", and since then the two words have often been used as alternative spellings of each other.
According to the OED, an "invented word" influenced by bodge and fudge.

cog

(informal, electronics, engineering) An improvised device, typically crudely constructed to test the validity of a principle before implementing a finished design.


trip

From Middle English trippen (“tread or step lightly and nimbly, skip, dance”), perhaps from Old French triper (“to hop or dance around, strike with the feet”), from a Frankish source; or alternatively from Middle Dutch trippen (“to skip, trip, hop, stamp, trample”) (> Modern Dutch trippelen (“to toddle, patter, trip”)). Akin to Middle Low German trippen ( > Danish trippe (“to trip”), Swedish trippa (“to mince, trip”)), West Frisian tripje (“to toddle, trip”), German trippeln (“to scurry”), Old English treppan (“to trample, tread”). Related also to trap, tramp.

cog

(engineering) A mechanical cutout device.


bedrock

en-noun

bedrock (countable and uncountable, plural bedrocks)

From bed (“a layer on top of which something else rests.”) + rock.

compound

bed<t:a layer on top of which something else rests.>

The denudation of the land was upon a grand scale. All superficial accumulations were swept away, and the bedrock was exposed.

1880, Mark Twain [pseudonym] (Samuel L[anghorne] Clemens), chapter XL, in A Tramp Abroad; […], Hartford, Conn.: American Publishing Company; London: Chatto & Windus, →OCLC, page 466:

Listen! It's big. Only eight to twenty feet to bedrock. There won't be a claim that don't run to half a million.

1912 October, Jack London, “The Stampede to Squaw Creek”, in Smoke Bellew, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co, →OCLC:

(countable, uncountable, geology, mining, engineering, construction) The solid rock found at some depth below the ground surface.


caisson

Borrowed from French caisson. Doublet of cassone and cajón.

During the construction of the viaduct, the sinking of the caissons in the river bed caused much difficulty to the engineer and contractors, as a bed of running sand was encountered; in consequence, the expenditure for these foundations proved almost prohibitive.

1946 January and February, “Notes and News: Demolition of Rhydyfelin Viaduct”, in Railway Magazine, page 53:

Caissons were enclosed dry chambers built on river beds to facilitate the construction of bridge piers.

2003, Bill Bryson, A Short History of Nearly Everything, BCA, page 213:

(engineering) An enclosure from which water can be expelled, in order to give access to underwater areas for engineering works etc.


TLC

en-noun

TLC (countable and uncountable, plural TLCs)

(uncountable, business, engineering) Initialism of technology life cycle.


attenuation

attenuation (countable and uncountable, plural attenuations)

From Middle English attenuacioun, a borrowing from Latin attenuātiō (“a diminishing”). Equivalent to attenuate + -ion.

(engineering) A fabrication process in which a material is stretched out into a thin shape.

vetäminen

engineering: fabrication process in which a material is stretched out


flask

→ Irish: fleasc

→ Welsh: fflasg

From Middle English flask, flaske (“case, cask, keg”), from Old English flasce, flaxe (“bottle, flask”) and Medieval Latin flascō (“bottle”); from Frankish *flaskā; whence also Dutch fles; both from Proto-Germanic *flaskǭ (“braid-covered bottle, wicker-enclosed jug”) (whence also German Low German Flaske, Fless, German Flasche, Danish flaske), from Proto-Indo-European *ploḱ-skō (“flat”) (whence also Lithuanian plókščias, Czech ploský, Albanian flashkët), or from Proto-Indo-European *pleḱ- (“to weave”). Doublet of fiasco, flacon, and flagon.
The sense “laboratory glassware” is from Italian fiasco, and the sense “container for holding a casting mold” is from Middle French flasque (“powder flask”), itself from Old Spanish flasco, frasco, both from Late Latin above.

der

(engineering) A container for holding a casting mold, especially for sand casting molds.

Formkasten

container for holding a (sand) casting mold


pillow

en-noun

pillow (countable and uncountable, plural pillows)

→ Maori: pera

From Middle English pilwe, from Old English pylwe, pylu, pyle (“pillow”), from Proto-West Germanic *pulwī (“pillow”), from Latin pulvīnus (“cushion”), derived from pulvis (“dust, powder”) + -īnus (“-ine”), for the filler of a pillow. Doublet of pulvinus.

suf

(engineering) A piece of metal or wood, forming a support to equalize pressure; a brass; a pillow block.


fillet

From Middle English filet, vylette, felet, filette, flette, from Old French filet, diminutive of fil (“thread”), from Latin fīlum (“thread”).

(engineering, drafting, CAD) A rounded relief or cut at an edge, especially an inside edge, added for a finished appearance and to break sharp edges.


threshold

lintel

antonym(s) of “bottom-most part of a doorway”

/ˈθɹɛʃ(h)əʊld/

[ˈθɹɛʃ(h)ɒʊɫd]

From Middle English threschwolde, threscholde, from Old English þresċold, þerxold, þrexwold (“doorsill, entryway”), from Proto-Germanic *þreskudlaz, *þreskūþlijaz, *þreskwaþluz, from Proto-Germanic *þreskaną, *þreskwaną (“to thresh, (originally) to tread”), from Proto-Indo-European *terh₁- (“to rub, turn”).
Cognate with Low German Drüssel (“threshold”), dialectal German Drischaufel, Drissufle, Trüschübel (“threshold”), Danish tærskel (“threshold”), Norwegian terskel (“threshold”), Swedish tröskel (“threshold”), dialectal Swedish träskvald (“threshold”), Icelandic þröskuldur (“threshold”).
Pronunciations as “thresh-hold” are un-etymological and result from analogy with -hold.

der

(engineering) The quantitative point at which an action is triggered, especially a lower limit.


CV

en-noun

CV (countable and uncountable, plural CVs)

CVs (plural)
C.V. (alternative)
C. V. (alternative)

Abbreviation
* (anime, Japanimation): From Japanese CV (CV), from English character+voice
* (aircraft carrier): Initialism of cruiser (“croiseur”) + French voler (“to fly”).

initialism

constant velocity
constant velocity#English

(engineering) Initialism of constant velocity.

Initialism of constant velocity.
Ellipsis of CV joint.


go down

en-verb

go down (third-person singular simple present goes down, present participle going down, simple past went down, past participle gone down)

goes down (present singular third-person)
going down (participle present)
went down (past)
gone down (participle past)

suhtautua (receiving person or party as subject, received thing in illative)

Did the server just go down again? We'll have to reboot it.

As I say, it was a very hot day, and I found that the air-con was better on 777013 than either 777001 or 777009. There are, however, no emergency hopper windows, so if the air-con goes down on a hot day, you will cook!

2023 January 26, Pip Dunn, “Merseyrail '777s' are OK for commuters”, in RAIL, number 988, page 60:

(intransitive, computing, engineering) To stop functioning, to go offline.


movement

en-noun

movement (countable and uncountable, plural movements)

movements (plural)
mov. (alternative)
movt (alternative)
mvmt (alternative)
mvt (alternative)

From Middle English mevement, from Old French movement (modern French mouvement), from movoir + -ment; cf. also Medieval Latin movimentum, from Latin movere (“move”). Doublet of moment and momentum. In this sense, displaced native Old English styring, which led to Modern English stirring.
Morphologically move + -ment.

eye movement desensitization and reprocessing

(engineering) A system or mechanism for transmitting motion of a definite character, or for transforming motion, such as the wheelwork of a watch.


blueprint

blueprints (plural)
blue print (alternative)
blue-print (alternative)

From blue + print. Introduced by Sir John Herschel in 1842.

(architecture, engineering, by extension) A detailed technical drawing (now often in some electronically storable and transmissible form).


pulley

pulley (plural pulleys or (obsolete) pullies)

pulleys (plural)
pullies (obsolete plural)

From Middle English puly, poley, from Old French poulie, polie (“a pulley, windlass”), from Medieval Latin polidia, plural mistaken for the feminine of neuter polidium, from Ancient Greek πολίδιον (polídion, “little pivot”), diminutive of πόλος (pólos, “pivot, hinge, axis”), from Proto-Indo-European *kʷel- (“to turn”). Associated with pull (verb) by folk etymology.

der

These pulleys […] placed collaterally.

1648, John Wilkins, Mathematical Magick:

Nine hundred of the ſtrongeſt Men were employed to draw up theſe Cords by many Pulleys faſtned on the Poles, and thus, in leſs than three Hours, I was raiſed and flung into the Engine, and there tyed faſt.

1726 October 28, [Jonathan Swift], “The Author Gives Some Account of Himself and Family, His First Inducements to Travel. […]”, in Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World. […] [Gulliver’s Travels], volume I, London: […] Benj[amin] Motte, […], →OCLC, part I (A Voyage to Lilliput), page 20:

The steel haulage ropes have a breaking strain of 50 tons, and another pair passing around a pulley at the bottom connect the lower ends of the cars and act as tail or balance ropes.

1951 August, P. W. Gentry, “Cliff Railways”, in Railway Magazine, page 515:

(engineering, countable) One of the simple machines; a sheave, a wheel with a grooved rim, in which a pulled rope or chain lifts an object (more useful when two or more pulleys are used together, as in a block and tackle arrangement, such that a small force moving through a greater distance can exert a larger force through a smaller distance).


telltale

telltales (plural)
tell-tale (alternative)
tell tale (alternative)

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Naomi Persephone Amethyst (NaomiAmethyst)-telltale.wav

From tell + tale, perhaps dissimilated from earlier taleteller, from Middle English tale tellere (literally “tale teller”).

(engineering) A machine or contrivance for indicating or recording something, particularly for keeping a check upon employees (factory hands, watchmen, drivers, etc.) by revealing to their employers what they have done or omitted.

controleapparaat

engineering: contrivance for indicating or recording something


yield

en-verb

yield (third-person singular simple present yields, present participle yielding, simple past yielded or (obsolete) yold, past participle yielded or (obsolete) yolden)

yields (present singular third-person)
yielding (participle present)
yielded (past)
yold (obsolete past)
yielded (participle past)
yolden (obsolete participle past)

Verb from Middle English yielden, yelden, ȝelden (“to yield, pay”), from Old English ġieldan (“to pay”), from Proto-West Germanic *geldan, from Proto-Germanic *geldaną (“to pay”), from Proto-Indo-European *gʰeldʰ- (“to pay”).
Cognates
Cognate with Scots yield (“to yield”), North Frisian jilden (“to pay”), Saterland Frisian jäilde (“to be valid; matter; count; be worth”), West Frisian jilde (“to pay”), Low German gellen, gelden (“to apply, count, be valued, be regarded”), Dutch gelden (“to apply, count, be valued, be regarded”), German gelten (“to apply, count, be valued, be regarded”), Icelandic gjalda (“to pay, yield, give”), Danish gælde (“to apply, count, be valued, be regarded”), Norwegian Bokmål gjelde.
Noun from Middle English ȝeld, from Old English ġield, from Proto-West Germanic *geld, from Proto-Germanic *geldą (“reward, gift, money”), from Proto-Indo-European *gʰeldʰ- (“to pay”).
Cognates
Compare West Frisian jild, Dutch geld, Low German and German Geld, Danish gæld, Swedish gäld, Icelandic gjald. See also geld.

inh

to end all resistance because of loss of hope

because of helplessness and extreme weakness

(engineering, materials science, of a material specimen) To pass the material's yield point and undergo plastic deformation.


yield

en-noun

yield (countable and uncountable, plural yields)

(engineering, material science) yield strength of a material.


nominal

→ Afrikaans: nominaal

PIE word
 *h₁nómn̥
From the Middle English nominalle (“of nouns”), borrowed from Latin nōminālis (“of names”), from nōmen (“name”).

We'll just do a nominal flight check.

Apart from the slightly high temperature, all the readings from the spacecraft are nominal.

The slots are waiting. Waiting for hot pizza. And waiting. The Deliverator honks his horn. This is not a nominal outcome.

1992, Neal Stephenson, Snow Crash, New York: Bantam Books, →ISBN, page 9:

Reactor online. Sensors online. Weapons online. All systems nominal.

1996 September, Dustin Browder, MechWarrior 2: Mercenaries, spoken by Narrator (Carole Ruggier), Activision:

(engineering) According to plan or design.


attitude

attitude (countable and uncountable, plural attitudes)

/ˈætɪˌt͡ʃuːd/

From French attitude, from Italian attitudine (“attitude, aptness”), from Medieval Latin aptitūdō (“aptitude”) and actitūdō (“acting, posture”), from Latin aptō and actitō. Doublet of aptitude.

der

The airliner had to land with a nose-up attitude after the incident.

The stern planes are located well aft of the center of gravity of the submarine and their primary purpose is attitude (trim) control

1982, Thomas Charles Gillmer, Bruce Johnson, Introduction to naval architecture, page 286:

Scratches should be closely analyzed to determine the attitudes of the boats at the time of initial contact.

1997, Paul J. Ciolino, Grace Elting Castle, Advanced Forensic Civil Investigations, page 109:

The main aim of the development of the smart antenna model is to stabilize attitude of the antenna which is mounted on a platform or host structure.

1999, Smart Materials Structures of Systems, →ISBN, page 307:

(aeronautics, nautical, engineering) The orientation of a vehicle or other object relative to the horizon, direction of motion, other objects, etc.


blank

From Middle English blank, blonc, blaunc, blaunche, from Anglo-Norman blonc, blaunc, blaunche, from Old French blanc, feminine blanche, from Frankish *blank (“gleaming, white, blinding”), from Proto-Germanic *blankaz (“white, bright, blinding”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰleyǵ- (“to shine”). Akin to Old High German blanch (“shining, bright, white”) (German blank), Old English blanc (“white, grey”), blanca (“white steed”), Spanish blanco. More at blink, blind, blanch. Doublet of blanc.

cog

(mechanics, engineering) A piece of material roughly cut, forged, cast, etc. to the size and shape of the thing to be made, and ready for the finishing operations; (coining) the disc of metal before stamping .

Any article of glass on which subsequent processing is required [since the 19th century].

(electric recording) The shaved wax ready for placing on a recording machine for making wax records with a stylus [20th century].


simple machine

(physics, engineering) A device that only requires the application of a single force to work.


journal

journals (plural)
journall (alternative)

Unknown, apparently of Scots origin. Perhaps from chirnel, from English kernel (“lump in the flesh”), owing to resemblance in shape.

(engineering) The part of a shaft or axle that rests on bearings.

шийка на вал

engineering: part of a shaft or axle that rests on bearings


slipper

Malay: selipar

(engineering) A piece, usually a plate, applied to a sliding piece, to receive wear and permit adjustment; a gib.

тапочки

Mongolia, pronounced /tævʧik/, sometimes written тавьчик


catenary

From Late Latin catenaria, in turn from Latin catēna (“chain”). Attested since 1788.

/ˈkætəˌnɛɹi/

(engineering) Any physical cable, rope, chain, or other weight-supporting structure taking such geometric shape, as a suspension cable for a bridge or a power-transmission line or an arch for a bridge or roof.


lantern

lanterns (plural)
lanthorn (alternative archaic)

→ Bengali: লন্ঠন (lonṭhon)

Hindi: लालटेन (lālṭen)

→ Irish: laindéar

→ Malay: lentera

Indonesian: lentera

→ Telugu: లాంతరు (lāntaru)

From Middle English lanterne (13th century), via Old French lanterne from Latin lanterna (“lantern”), itself a corruption of Ancient Greek λαμπτήρ (lamptḗr, “torch”) (see lamp, λάμπω (lámpō)) by influence of Latin lucerna (“lamp”). The spelling lanthorn was current during the 16th to 19th centuries and originates with a folk etymology associating the word with the use of horn as translucent cover. For the verb, compare French lanterner to hang at the lamppost. Displaced native Old English lēohtfæt (literally “light-container”).

ncog

(engineering) A lantern pinion or trundle wheel.


engage

en-verb

engage (third-person singular simple present engages, present participle engaging, simple past and past participle engaged)

engages (present singular third-person)
engaging (participle present)
engaged (participle past)
engaged (past)
ingage (alternative)

disengage

antonym(s) of “to cause to mesh or interlock”

From Middle English engagen, from Old French engagier (“to pledge, engage”), from Frankish *anwadjōn (“to pledge”), from Proto-Germanic *an-, *andi- + Proto-Germanic *wadjōną (“to pledge, secure”), from Proto-Germanic *wadją (“pledge, guarantee”), from Proto-Indo-European *wedʰ- (“to pledge, redeem a pledge; guarantee, bail”), equivalent to en- + gage. Cognate with Old English anwedd (“pledge, security”), Old English weddian (“to engage, covenant, undertake”), German wetten (“to bet, wager”), Icelandic veðja (“to wager”). More at wed.

cog

The teeth of one cogwheel engage those of another.

(engineering, transitive) To come into gear with.

To interact mechanically.
To come into gear with.


clockwork

en-noun

clockwork (usually uncountable, plural clockworks)

Many contrivances for making model horses move up and down as on roundabouts were patented in 1887, and toy horses pulling toy carts were made to imitate galloping by means of clockwork.

1971, Gwen White, Antique Toys And Their Background, page 67:

A mechanism powered by a coiled spring and regulated by some form of escapement; the power is transmitted through toothed gearwheels and used to drive a mechanical clock, toy, or other device.

часовников механизъм

mechanism powered by coiled spring to drive mechanical device


requirement

Near-synonyms: specification, rule

System requirements not met. Go to Settings to learn more.

(engineering, computing) A statement (in domain specific terms) which specifies a verifiable constraint on an implementation that it shall undeniably meet or (a) be deemed unacceptable, or (b) result in implementation failure, or (c) result in system failure.


oxyarc

(engineering) An arc produced in an atmosphere of oxygen, used for welding.


cavity

Mid 16th century borrowing from Middle French cavité or Late Latin cavitās, from cavus (“hollow, excavated, concave”) + -tās (“-ity”, nominal suffix).

af

A hole or hollow depression in a solid object.

(engineering, manufacturing) The female part of a mold: the depression itself or (metonymically) the half of the mold that contains it.


orthotropic

(engineering) Having material properties that differ along three mutually orthogonal twofold axes of rotational symmetry.


baseline

The baseline configuration includes unsupported components.

(engineering) A configuration of software, hardware, or a process that is established and documented as a point of reference.

Grundwerte

engineering: something established and documented as a point of reference


baseline

en-verb

baseline (third-person singular simple present baselines, present participle baselining, simple past and past participle baselined)

baselines (present singular third-person)
baselining (participle present)
baselined (participle past)
baselined (past)

Finally, the test was baselined by evaluating the best and poorest catalysts of their respective types by this protocol.

1993, M.M. Mitchell et al., “Residual Feed Cracking Catalysts”, in Magee & Mitchell, editors, Fluid Catalytic Cracking, →ISBN, page 320:

(engineering, computing) To provide a baseline for measurement.


GM

en-noun

GM (countable and uncountable, plural GMs)

The report notes that the minimum GM curves in the stability booklet were generated based on the minimum GM required to meet intact stability criteria in 46 CFR 170.170. However, for vessels required to meet both damage and intact stability requirements, such as El Faro, the higher of intact or damage stability minimum GM must be reflected in the minimum GM curves.

2017 December 12, National Transportation Safety Board, “1.12.10 Postaccident Analysis of Stability, Structures, and Sinking”, in Marine Accident Report: Sinking of US Cargo Vessel SS El Faro, Atlantic Ocean, Northeast of Acklins and Crooked Island, Bahamas, October 1, 2015, archived from the original on 2022-05-15, page 152:

Metacentric height
metacentric height#English

(usually uncountable, nautical, engineering, physics) Metacentric height, a measure of a ship's static stability in roll.


keyhole

(engineering) A mortise for a key or cotter.


self-tapping

(engineering) Able to advance when turned, while creating its own thread.


waveform

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

(physics, engineering) The shape of a physical wave, such as sound, electric current or electromagnetic radiation, or its representation obtained by plotting a characteristic of the phenomenon (such as voltage) versus another variable, often time.

forma ondeada / ondeante / ondosa / ondulada / ondulante / ondulatoria / ondulosa / undante / undosa / undulatoria


fettle

en-verb

fettle (third-person singular simple present fettles, present participle fettling, simple past and past participle fettled)

fettles (present singular third-person)
fettling (participle present)
fettled (participle past)
fettled (past)

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Naomi Persephone Amethyst (NaomiAmethyst)-fettle.wav

From Late Middle English fetlen (“(verb) to bestow; to fix, prepare, put in place; to prepare (oneself) for battle, gird up; to shape; to be about to, or to ready (oneself) to stay; (adjective) shaped (well or poorly)”) [and other forms], which possibly:
* from Old English fetel (“belt, girdle, fettle”), from Proto-Germanic *fatilaz, further etymology unknown; or
* from Old English fetian (“to fetch”), from Proto-Germanic *fatōną, *fatjaną (“to fetch”), from Proto-Indo-European *ped- (“foot”).
Compare Old English ġefetelsod (“provided with a belt; trimmed, polished, ornamented”).

nb...

fatelen, fetel, fetele, fetelen, fetle, fettel, fettil, fetyl, fitelen

cog

He wants to fettle his gearchange mechanism before the next competition.

(transitive, engineering) To machine away seam lines or more generally to make small adjustments to a component or machine to improve its fit or operation.


mechanical engineering

(engineering) The subfield of engineering concerned with designing and building machines and mechanical systems.


PICOW

(engineering) Initialism of person in charge of work.


burr

From Middle English burre, perhaps related to Old English byrst (“bristle”). Cognate with Danish burre, borre (“burdock, burr”), Swedish borre (“sea-urchin”).

(engineering) A revolving disk or cone with abrasive surfaces used to grind hard products in a grinder or mill.


burr

en-verb

burr (third-person singular simple present burrs, present participle burring, simple past and past participle burred)

burrs (present singular third-person)
burring (participle present)
burred (participle past)
burred (past)

(transitive, engineering) To grind using a burr (revolving disk or cone with abrasive surfaces).


fatigue

en-noun

fatigue (countable and uncountable, plural fatigues)

From French fatigue, from fatiguer, from Latin fatīgāre (“to weary, tire, vex, harass”).

der

Mechanical failures due to fatigue have been the subject of engineering efforts for more than 150 years.

2013, N. Dowling, Mechanical Behaviour of Materials, page 399:

(engineering) Weakening and eventual failure of material, typically by cracking leading to complete separation, caused by repeated application of mechanical stress to the material.


fatigue

en-verb

fatigue (third-person singular simple present fatigues, present participle fatiguing, simple past and past participle fatigued)

fatigues (present singular third-person)
fatiguing (participle present)
fatigued (participle past)
fatigued (past)

From French fatiguer, from Latin fatīgāre (“to weary, tire, vex, harass”).

väsyä

engineering: to undergo the process of fatigue

(intransitive, engineering, of a material specimen) To undergo the process of fatigue; to fail as a result of fatigue.

The repeated pressurization cycles fatigued the airplane's metal skin until it eventually broke up in flight.

(transitive, engineering) To cause to undergo the process of fatigue.


repose

en-noun

repose (countable and uncountable, plural reposes)

Berthe Morisot
Rhode Island School of Design Museum
Édouard Manet

The verb is derived from Middle English reposen (“to rest”), from Anglo-Norman reposer, reposir, and Middle French reposer, from Old French reposer, repauser (“to become calm; to be peaceful; to rest; to be immobile; to lie or be placed; to cease, stop; to neglect”) (modern French reposer), from Latin repausāre, the present active infinitive of repausō (“(Late Latin) to be at rest; to lie down, rest; to sleep; to calm, pacify; (Latin) to halt temporarily, pause”), from re- (prefix meaning ‘again; back, backwards’) + pausō (“to cease, halt; to pause”) (from pausa (“a halt, stop; a pause; an end”), from Ancient Greek παῦσῐς (paûsĭs, “ceasing, stopping”), from παύω (paúō, “to cease; to make to cease, stop; to bring to an end; to hinder”) (further etymology uncertain; possibly from Proto-Indo-European *peh₂w- (“few, little; smallness”)) + -σῐς (-sĭs, suffix forming abstract nouns or nouns of action, process, or result)).
The noun is derived from Late Middle English repose, from Anglo-Norman repous, repos, and Middle French repos, repose, from Old French repos (“calm; rest; period or state of sleep; state of immobility; state of inaction”) (modern French repos), from reposer, repauser (verb) (see above).
Noun sense 12.3 (“technique of including in a painting an area or areas which are dark, indistinct, or soft in tone”) is borrowed from French repos.
Cognates
Catalan reposar (verb), repòs (noun)
Italian riposare (verb), riposo (noun)
Old Occitan repausar, repauzar (verb), repaus (noun)
Portuguese repousar (verb), repouso (noun)
Spanish reposar (verb), reposo (noun)

ref

From the collection of the Rhode Island School of Design Museum, Providence, Rhode Island, U.S.A.

col

Cognates

հանգիստ

temporary cessation from activity to rest and recover, especially in the form of sleep; an instance of this — see also break, rest

lepo

of the face, a muscle, etc.: state of being relaxed and not in tension

(uncountable, engineering, physics) Chiefly in the form point of repose, position of repose, etc.: absence of motion; equilibrium; (countable) a position where an object is not moving and at rest.


pigging

The main reason for the high efficiencies obtained over previous piggings can be attributed to the vented swabs with the check valve.

1955, American Gas Association, Proceedings, volume 37, page 1083:

(engineering) The use of a pig (the device) to clean a pipeline.


fitting

en-noun

fitting (countable and uncountable, plural fittings)

fittings (plural)
fittin' (alternative)
fittin (alternative)

(engineering) A tube connector; a standardized connecting part of a piping system to attach sections of pipe together, such as a coupling


trundle

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Naomi Persephone Amethyst (NaomiAmethyst)-trundle.wav

From Middle English trondlin, trondelen, a variation of Middle English trendlen, from Old English trendlian. More at trendle, trindle.

The Cog-wheels in most Wind-Mills are (in the diameter) 8. foot or under […] the trundle is at the least two foot, which is 4. to one.

1651, Cressy Dymock, An Invention of Engines in Motion, London: Richard Woodnoth, page 5:

(engineering) A lantern wheel, or one of its bars.


mechatronics

Advanced technology to create energy-saving, resorce-saving and highly intelligent systems by integrating mechanics, electronics and software is called mechatronics.

1989, Makoto Kajitani, A Concept of Mechatronics:

So what's this new hybrid called a Mechatronics Engineer? Simply stated, these pros apply mechanical, electrical, and computer engineering theory and techniques to create automated, intelligent products, smart devices, and industrial control systems--systems that can then be "taught" to improve their performance. This is where many future engineering jobs are headed.

2012, Alex A. Kecskes, The Rise of the Mechatronics Engineer:

mechanical engineering
mechanical engineering

software engineering
software engineering

The synergistic combination of mechanical engineering, electronic engineering and software engineering for the study of automata from an engineering perspective and the control of advanced hybrid systems.


tribology

/tɹɪˈbɒləd͡ʒi/

(physics, engineering) The science and engineering of interacting surfaces in relative motion; the study and application of technology using the principles of friction, lubrication and wear.


ergonomics

/ˌɜɹ.ɡəˈnɑ.mɪks/

/ˌɜɹ.ɡəˈnɒ.mɪks/

From ergo- (prefix indicating work) + -nomics (suffix indicating the rules of a discipline), probably modelled after Polish ergonomia (“ergonomics”) (used by Polish scientist Wojciech Jastrzębowski (1799–1882) in an 1857 article), from Ancient Greek ἔργον (érgon, “work”) + νόμος (nómos, “custom; law, ordinance”). The English word is widely regarded as having been introduced by British psychologist K. F. Hywel Murrell at a meeting at the Admiralty in London in July 1949, which led to the establishment of the Ergonomics Research Society (now The Chartered Institute of Ergonomics and Human Factors) on 17 September 1949.

confix

Ergonomics is increasingly important in office-product design.

Ergonomics, deriving from the Greek word "ergon" work is now mainly considered to mean "the science of designing machines and environments that are most suited to the efficiency, comfort, safety and peace of mind of those working with them" (see Armbruster, 1983). […] Ergonomics goes beyond the prevention of health hazards, it aims to optimize the coexistence between people and technology within the working environment. […] In the broad sense of the word, ergonomics includes all the physical, social, and psychological aspects of work and workplace design.

1990, “Ergonomic Aspects of Computer Use”, in Allen Kent, James G. Williams, editors, Encyclopedia of Microcomputers, volume 6 (Electronic Dictionaries in Machine Translation to Evaluation of Software: Microsoft Word Version 4.0), New York, N.Y.: Marcel Dekker, →ISBN, page 325:

Experts now contend that problems at work – low productivity, health hazards, accidents, high turn over – may well have their genesis in the work environment – the result of ignorance of ergonomics. The essence of ergonomics is to design or redesign the work and the work environment to fit people. It aims to ensure that work procedures, tools, equipment and environment are safe, efficient and comfortable by applying engineering, physiological, psychological and anatomical knowledge.

1993, Carlos C. Lorenzana, “The Quality of Work Life”, in Management Theory and Practice, Manila, Philippines: Rex Book Store, published May 1998, →ISBN, pages 117–118:

After the fuel economy crisis of the 1970s, the U.S. automotive industry began placing more emphasis on both the aerodynamics and ergonomics fields to satisfy customers' energy-saving and comfort/convenience needs. […] Ergonomics involves "fitting the equipment to the people (or users)." This means the equipment should be designed such that people (population of users) can fit comfortably (naturally) within the equipment and they can use the equipment without any awkward body postures, movements, or errors.

2012, Vivek D[attaray] Bhise, “Introduction to Automotive Ergonomics”, in Ergonomics in the Automotive Design Process, Boca Raton, Fla.: CRC Press, →ISBN, page 4:

The science of the design of equipment, especially so as to reduce operator fatigue, discomfort and injury.


layout

→ German: Layout

→ Dutch: lay-out

→ Polish: layout

→ Portuguese: layout

→ Russian: лейаут (lejaut)

→ Swedish: layout

(engineering) A map or a drawing of a construction site showing the position of roads, buildings or other constructions.


hunting

en-noun

hunting (countable and uncountable, plural huntings)

desc

→ Korean: 헌팅 (heonting, “flirting with strangers, pickup”)

From Middle English hunting, from Old English huntung, equivalent to hunt + -ing.

Bogie hunting is not caused by some sort of periodic disturbance but by dynamic instability; the oscillatory system is not the bogies alone but the complete assembly of bogie-plus-body; and variations in track rigidity do not affect the nature of the motion, only its intensity.

1961 March, “Talking of trains”, in Trains Illustrated, page 136:

(engineering) Fluctuation or oscillation that does not stabilize.


brittle

en-adj

brittle (comparative brittler or more brittle, superlative brittlest or most brittle)

brittler (comparative)
more brittle (comparative)
brittlest (superlative)
most brittle (superlative)

From Middle English britel, brutel, brotel (“brittle”), from Old English *brytel, *bryttol (“brittle, fragile”, literally “prone to or tending to break”); equivalent to brit + -le.

(engineering, computing, of a system) Poorly error- or fault-tolerant; having little in the way of redundancy or defense in depth; susceptible to catastrophic failure in the event of a relatively-minor malfunction or deviance.


efficiency

en-noun

efficiency (countable and uncountable, plural efficiencies)

From Latin efficientia, equivalent to efficient + -cy.

səmərə

The efficiency of this loudspeaker is 40%.

The extent to which a resource is used for the intended purpose.

(engineering, physics) The ratio of useful work to energy expended. Often given the symbol η.


PBR

PBR (countable and uncountable, plural PBRs)

pebble-bed reactor
pebble-bed reactor#English

(nuclear physics, engineering) Initialism of pebble-bed reactor.


EDM

EDM (countable and uncountable, plural EDMs)

(engineering) Initialism of engineering data management.


clench

From Middle English clenchen, from Old English clenċan (“to clinch; hold fast”), a variant of Old English clenġan (“to adhere; remain”), from Proto-Germanic *klangijaną, causative of *klinganą (“to stick; adhere”). Related to cling.

inh

(engineering) A seal that is applied to formed thin-wall bushings.


downshifter

(engineering) A process, algorithm, etc. that shifts something to a lower level or frequency.


percussion

en-noun

percussion (countable and uncountable, plural percussions)

From Middle English percussioun, from Middle French, Old French percussion, from Latin percussiō (“striking”), from percutiō (“I strike”).

Moreover, a perfect Medal has its Profile and out-ſtroaks ſharp (Nummus aſper) and by no means rugged; the Figures clean and well poliſh'd; the Contours neatly trimm'd, and exactly round and carefully preſerv'd; that the Extancy and Relievos correſpond with the Ingraving, and have not ſuffer'd in Percuſſion; in all which, there is a certain Spirit of Antiquity and Excellency to be diſcern'd in Antient Medals almoſt inimitable.

1697, J[ohn] Evelyn, “Instructions How to Collect, and Procure such Medals as are Antique, and Rare; and to Distinguish the True from the False, for the Prevention of Frauds and Impostures”, in Numismata. A Discourse of Medals, Antient and Modern. […], London: […] Benj[amin] Tooke […], →OCLC, page 201:

(engineering) The repeated striking of an object to break or shape it, as in percussion drilling.


rupture

rupture (countable and uncountable, plural ruptures)

Borrowed from Middle French rupture, or its source, Latin ruptūra (“a breaking, rupture (of a limb or vein)”) and Medieval Latin ruptūra (“a road, a field, a form of feudal tenure, a tax, etc.”), from the participle stem of rumpere (“to break, burst”).

der

(engineering) A failure mode in which a tough ductile material pulls apart rather than cracking.


PMI

en-noun

PMI (countable and uncountable, plural PMIs)

(engineering) Initialism of positive material identification.


SSA

SSA (countable and uncountable, plural SSAs)

(engineering) Initialism of specific surface area.


high-octane

en-adj

high-octane (comparative higher-octane, superlative highest-octane)

higher-octane (comparative)
highest-octane (superlative)

From high + octane. First use appears c. 1931 in the Oakland Tribune.

Now, to do the job, I need some high-octane gasoline.

1982, Terry Hayes, George Miller, Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior, spoken by Max (Mel Gibson):

(automotive, engineering, of fuel) Having a high octane number, good antiknock characteristics; used in high-performance vehicles.


IRS

(engineering) Initialism of Interface Requirements Specification.


LF

en-noun

LF (countable and uncountable, plural LFs)

(architecture, engineering, construction) Initialism of linear feet.


IPS

(engineering) Initialism of iron piping size.


overdrive

overdrive (countable and uncountable, plural overdrives)

From over- + drive, originally referring to gear ratios over 1:1.

/ˌəʊvə(ɹ)ˈdɹaɪv/

/ˈəʊvə(ɹ)ˌdɹaɪv/

(engineering, mechanical) A gear ratio higher than 1:1: one in which a single revolution of the driving element corresponds to more than one revolution of the driven element.


moose test

From Swedish älgtest (which see for more), from German Elchtest; although a Swedish test, the word was coined in German and then calqued into Swedish.

(automotive, engineering) A test of the stability of a vehicle, which determines the maximum speed it can attain and still be able to steer clear of an obstacle (such as a child or a large animal running in front of the car) without going out of control.


saddle

→ Japanese: サドル (sadoru)

Homer Tunnel
Milford Sound
Oxford English Dictionary

From Middle English sadel, from Old English sadol, from Proto-West Germanic *sadul, from Proto-Germanic *sadulaz (“saddle”). Further etymology uncertain, perhaps from Proto-Indo-European *sod-dʰlo-, from *sed- (“to sit”) + *-dʰlom (a variant of *-trom (suffix forming nouns denoting instruments or tools)), though the Oxford English Dictionary says this “presents formal difficulties”.
Cognates
* Danish sadel
* Dutch zadel
* German Sattel
* Icelandic söðull
* Low German Sadel
* Russian седло́ (sedló)
* Saterland Frisian Soadel
* Scots sadil
* Swedish sadel
* West Frisian seal

saal

seat for a rider placed on the back of a horse or other animal

satula

something resembling a saddle in appearance or shape

satula

depression located along the axial trend of an anticline

[…] with this arrangement the cylinders are cast separately from the saddle, and bolted to the frames on each side with a fabricated stiffener between the frames. This stiffener is carried up to form the saddle for the smokebox, and within it is fitted the exhaust pipes from the cylinders to the blast pipe.

1944 November and December, “Modified G.W.R. "Hall" Class Locomotives”, in Railway Magazine, page 350:

Something resembling a saddle (sense 1) in appearance or shape.

(engineering) An equipment part, such as a flange, which is hollowed out to fit upon a convex surface and serve as a means of attachment or support.

kelkka

equipment part which is hollowed out to fit upon a convex surface and serve as a means of attachment or support


footing

footing (countable and uncountable, plural footings)

From Middle English fotyng; equivalent to foot + -ing.

(architecture, engineering) The thickened or sloping portion of a wall, or of an embankment at its foot; foundation.


trammel

From Middle English trameyle, from Old French tramail (“net for catching fish”), from Late Latin tremaculum, from tri- (“tri-”) + macula (“spot, speck; mesh, cell”). Cognate with Italian tramaglio (“trammel”), Spanish trasmallo (“drift net”).

affix

(engineering) An instrument for drawing ellipses, one part of which consists of a cross with two grooves at right angles to each other, the other being a beam carrying two pins (which slide in those grooves), and also the describing pencil.


MSF

en-noun

MSF (countable and uncountable, plural MSFs)

(engineering) Initialism of main support frame.


sector

sector
sector (Star Trek)
sector (instrument)

(engineering) A toothed gear whose face is the arc of a circle.


pre-stressed

en-adj

pre-stressed (comparative more pre-stressed, superlative most pre-stressed)

more pre-stressed (comparative)
most pre-stressed (superlative)

pre-stressed concrete

(engineering, architecture) Of a structural member, having stress already applied during the manufacturing process in the opposite direction to the stress expected in use.


line of centers

en-noun

line of centers (plural lines of centers)

(engineering) A line joining two centers, or fulcra, as of wheels or levers.


line up

en-verb

line up (third-person singular simple present lines up, present participle lining up, simple past and past participle lined up)

lines up (present singular third-person)
lining up (participle present)
lined up (participle past)
lined up (past)

w:Webster's Dictionary#Webster's New International Dictionary 1909

(engineering) To align; to put in alignment; to put in correct adjustment for smooth running.


straw man

straw men (plural)
strawman (alternative)

From straw + man.
Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1986 passim, shows first known usages for things insubstantial date to 1585-95. Universal Dictionary of the English Language, 1897, Vol 4, p. 4485, notes “man of straw” as “The figure of a man formed of an old suit of clothes stuffed with straw; hence, the mere resemblance of a man; one of no substance or means; an imaginary person.”
Compare West Frisian strieman, Dutch strooman, stroman, German Strohmann, Danish stråmand, Swedish stråman, Norwegian stråmann.

a tentative straw-man spec

(figurative, engineering, business) An outline serving as an initial proposal for a project, usually refined iteratively.


deform

deform (third-person singular simple present deforms, present participle deforming, simple past and past participle deformed)

deforms (present singular third-person)
deforming (participle present)
deformed (participle past)
deformed (past)

From Middle English deformen (“to disfigure, distort, or mar; (figuratively) to disfigure morally; to defame; to dishonour”) [and other forms], equivalent to de- + form, from Old French deformer [and other forms] (modern French déformer (“to contort, distort, twist out of shape; (figuratively) to pervert”)), or directly from its etymon Latin dēfōrmāre (whence Medieval Latin difformāre), the present active infinitive of dēfōrmō (“to fashion, form; to delineate, describe; to design; to deform, disfigure; to mar, spoil”), from dē- (prefix meaning ‘away from; from’) + fōrmō (“to fashion, form, shape; to format”) (from fōrma (noun); see further at etymology 1).
Cognates
* Catalan deformar (“to deform”)
* Italian deformare (“to deform; to distort, warp”)
* Occitan deformar
* Portuguese deformar (“to deform”)
* Spanish deformar, desformar (“to deform, disfigure”)

nb...

defourmen, difform, difformen, diffourmen, disformen, disfourmen, dyfform

деформирам

to change the form of (something), usually thus making it disordered or irregular

To change the form of (something), usually thus making it disordered or irregular; to give (something) an abnormal or unusual shape.

(engineering, physics) To alter the shape of (something) by applying a force or stress.

деформирам

to alter the shape of (something) by applying a force or stress


run-in

en-adj

run-in (not generally comparable, comparative more run-in, superlative most run-in)

more run-in (comparative)
most run-in (superlative)

A well run-in engine is likelier to consume less crankcase oil over the course of its working life.

participial adjective
participial adjective

(participial adjective; mechanical, engineering) (sometimes comparable) Having been run in to seat the parts.


in-line

(engineering, of an internal-combustion engine) Having all cylinders in a single straight line; straight.


TDC

(engineering) Initialism of top dead centre/top dead center.


mezzanine

PIE word
 *médʰyos
The noun is borrowed from French mezzanine, and from its etymon Italian mezzanino, from mezzano (“(adjective) middle; (noun) go-between”) + -ino (diminutive suffix). Mezzano is derived from Latin mediānus (“central, middle”, adjective), from medius (“mid, middle”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *médʰyos (“middle”)) + -ānus (suffix meaning ‘of or pertaining to’).
The adjective and verb are derived from the noun.

der

To make interconnections easier, we added a mezzanine PCB.

(engineering) Fulfilling an intermediate or secondary function.


cofferdam

cofferdams (plural)
coffer-dam (alternative)

He stood full six feet in height, with noble shoulders, and a chest like a coffer-dam.

Downstream there was a small wooden cofferdam and when he woke there were naked children splashing in the pool there and he rose and wrapped his jacket about his waist and walked out along the bank where he could sit and watch them.

1992, Cormac McCarthy, All the Pretty Horses, →ISBN:

At fixed injection volume of PVC gels solution, the curvature of MLAs [(microlens arrays)] obtained with patterned electrode substrates at fixed sizes of cofferdam can be tuned by changing the preparation voltage.

2020, Peiwen Xu, Miao Xu, Hongbo Lu, Longzhen Qiu, “Polyvinyl chloride gels microlens array with a well-controlled curvature obtained by solvent evaporation under DC electric fields”, in Optics Express, volume 28, number 20, →DOI, pages 29285–29295:

Where the viaduct crosses the lake, the piles will be bored directly into the lakebed, using a cofferdam to hold back the water while the pier is built.

2022 January 12, “Network News: First pier cast for HS2's Colne Valley Viaduct”, in RAIL, number 948, page 10:

(engineering) A temporary watertight enclosure used to create a dry foundation for building bridges and other structures over water.


monolithic

en-adj

monolithic (comparative more monolithic, superlative most monolithic)

more monolithic (comparative)
most monolithic (superlative)

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

From French monolithique; by surface analysis, monolith + -ic.

A monolithic chunk of titanium with facets for cutting, wrenching, and prying.

(engineering) Consisting of a single piece of homogeneous material as opposed to a composite material or an assembly of multiple parts.


pintail

The collar is placed over the fastener pintail and the installation tool is placed over the pintail. The tool pulls on the pin drawing the parts together until the collar is swaged into locking grooves.

1994, James William Fitch, Motor Truck Engineering Handbook, page 110:

(engineering) The end of a fastening pin or mandrel on a Huckbolt or pop rivet that is broken off when installation is complete.


feathered

(engineering, manufacturing) Having a finely bevelled edge.


hotbox

If a hotbox is not discovered early, the temperature of the journal or bearing may rise to a critical level, so that the wheel end of the journal may burn off and cause a derailment of the car.

1972, Richard Johnson, Railroad Technology and Manpower in the 1970's, page 31:

(engineering) An overheated shaft bearing.

One of the ex-L. & Y.R. "pugs" displaced by diesels at Bank Hall, No. 51232, is going to Preston for employment on the dock lines there, but when en route on December 31 it ran out of water and also sustained a hot box, as a result of which it was detained at Bank Hall.

1961 March, “Motive Power Miscellany”, in Trains Illustrated, page 181:

In particular, hot boxes on freight trains are a persistent problem.

1963 July, “News and Comment: Roller bearings for freight stock”, in Modern Railways, page 6:

Experience with infrared hotbox detector installations has demonstrated the validity of the analysis.

1964, RSC, Railway Signaling and Communications - Volume 57, page 18:

(rail transport) An overheated axle box, bearing and bearing enclosure.


rocker

From Middle English rokker, rockere, rokkere, equivalent to rock + -er.


MHD

en-noun

MHD (countable and uncountable, plural MHDs)

(physics, engineering, nautical) Initialism of magnetohydrodynamics.


MHD

(physics, engineering, nautical) Initialism of magnetohydrodynamic.

MHD thruster — magnetohydrodymanic thruster


modulation

modulation (countable and uncountable, plural modulations)

/ˌmɑd͡ʒəˈleɪʃən/

From Late Middle English modulacion, modulacioun (“act of making music or singing; harmony; melody, song”), from Middle French modulation (modern French modulation), and directly from its etymon Latin modulātiō (“regular or rhythmical measure, modulation; inflection of tone; (architecture) calculation of measurements from a standard unit; (Late Latin) act of making music or singing; melody, song”), from modulātus (“modulated”) + -iō (suffix forming abstract nouns from verbs). Modulātus is a perfect participle of modulor (“to beat time; to make music or sing; to measure; etc.”), from modulus (“rhythmical measure, interval; rhythm; small interval or measure, etc.”) + -or (suffix forming certain inflections of verbs); and modulus is from modus (“measure; method; etc.”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *med- (“to measure; etc.”)) + -ulus (diminutive suffix). By surface analysis, modulat(e) + -ion (suffix denoting an action or process, or its result).

listen/core

Modulation vocal music example duple.mid

изменение

modification or regulation of something to achieve an appropriate measure or proportion; an instance of this

Modulation is the process in which information is encoded in radio signals. Modulation describes changing an aspect of the wave. There are two main types of radio modulation: amplitude modulation (AM) and frequency modulation (FM). […] In amplitude modulation the height (amplitude) of the wave is changed. In frequency modulation, the number of waves that pass a given point in a second is changed.

2022, Elizabeth Rubio, “Transmitting and Receiving Radio Waves”, in Understanding and Using Radio Waves (The Electromagnetic Spectrum), New York, N.Y.: Enslow Publishing, →ISBN, page 22:

electromagnetic wave
electromagnetic wave

(uncountable) Modification or regulation of something to achieve an appropriate measure or proportion; (countable) an instance of this.

(engineering, physics, uncountable) Chiefly preceded by a descriptive word: modification of an electromagnetic wave or other oscillating carrier wave to apply a signal to it; (countable) an instance of this; also, the extent to which such a wave is modified; and the modified wave or signal.

تحوير

modification of an electromagnetic wave or other oscillating carrier wave to apply a signal to it; an instance of this; extent to which such a wave is modified; modified wave or signal


hardness

en-noun

hardness (countable and uncountable, plural hardnesses)

hardnesses (plural)
hardnesse (alternative)

From Middle English hardness, hardnesse, from Old English heardnes, from heard + -nes. Equivalent to hard + -ness.

The hardness of the material was high.

(countable, engineering) A measure of how hard a material is


heuristics

From heuristic, from German heuristisch, from New Latin heuristicus by irregular formation from Ancient Greek εὑρίσκω (heurískō, “I discover”).

der

(engineering, by extension) Experience-based methods used to reduce the need for calculations pertaining to equipment size, performance, or operating conditions.


FCF

feature control frame
feature control frame#English

(engineering) Initialism of feature control frame.


tet

(geometry, engineering) A tetrahedron; a tetrahedral finite element.


tuning

(engineering) The adjustment of a system or circuit to secure optimum performance.

viritys

the adjustment of a system or circuit to secure optimum performance


tympanum

Borrowed from Latin tympanum (“a drum, timbrel, tambourine; the eardrum”). Doublet of timbre, timpani, timbal, and tymbal.

قَلْب القَوْصَرَة

triangular space between the sides of a pediment

(engineering) A drum-shaped wheel with spirally curved partitions by which water is raised to the axis when the wheel revolves with the lower part of the circumference submerged; used for raising water, as for irrigation.


lifeline

lifelines (plural)
life-line (alternative)
life line (alternative)

→ Japanese: ライフライン (raifurain)

(engineering) A system or structure of vital importance to a community.


falsework

en-noun

falsework (usually uncountable, plural falseworks)

Both steel and timber forms were used, supported on a falsework of steel beams erected on the new abutments at each end and on temporary piles which were driven into the river bed at mid-span.

1955 February, “Notes and News: Construction of River Leen Bridge”, in Railway Magazine, page 140:

Each [girder] measuring 38 metres long, they will sit below four steel tripods which will support the falsework and formwork.

2024 May 17, “Network News: Viaduct carrying HS2 into Curzon Street takes shape”, in RAIL, number 1009, page 11:

(engineering) A temporary framework used in the building of bridges and arched structures in order to hold items in place until the structure is able to support itself.

cintre

temporary framework used in building arches

... the woefully incomplete Ferris Wheel ... was a half-moon of steel encased in a skyscraper of wooden falsework.

2003, Erik Larson, The Devil in the White City, page 236:

(engineering) Scaffolding, a temporary frame serving to support and brace a building under construction until it can stand alone.

ouvrage provisoire

temporary frame to support a building under construction


parametric

[pæɹ.əˈmɛt͡ʃ.ɹɪk]

/ˌpɛɹ.əˈmɛt.ɹɪk/

[ˌpɛɹ.əˈmɛt͡ʃ.ɹɪk]

parametric designs

parametric programming

(mathematics, design, engineering, computing) Of, relating to, or defined using parameters. In mathematics, this typically means related to parametrization / parametric equation.

parameterized

often synonymous, when agency of imposing such nature is relevant


feed zone

feed zones (plural)
feedzone (alternative)

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

Thus the base of the effective reservoir is placed at 1500m depth, the actual location of the deepest major feed zone.

2012, R. Bowen, Geothermal Resources, page 105:

Pressure readings are taken downhole next to the feed zone and the total flow is measured on the surface using a separator.

2015, Ronald DiPippo, Geothermal Power Plants:

(engineering) The portion of a device in which material that is input through a feed tube or other portal accumulates before processing.


run over

en-verb

run over (third-person singular simple present runs over, present participle running over, simple past ran over, past participle run over)

runs over (present singular third-person)
running over (participle present)
ran over (past)
run over (participle past)

(engineering) To have rotation in such direction that the crank pin traverses the upper, or front, half of its path in the forward, or outward, stroke; said of a crank which drives, or is driven by, a reciprocating piece.

přetáhnout

to continue for too long — see also overrun


pallet

(engineering) A click or pawl for driving a ratchet wheel.

Edward H[enry] Knight
w:Edward H. Knight

(engineering) One of the series of disks or pistons in the chain pump.


simulated annealing

en-noun

simulated annealing (usually uncountable, plural simulated annealings)

For this problem, the simulated annealing-based heuristic provides a near-optimal solution.

A probabilistic technique for approximating the global optimum of a given function, analogous to the metalworking process of annealing.


tabu search

tabu search (countable and uncountable, plural tabu searches)

From tabu (“sacred, not to be touched”), in reference to the prohibition against revisiting earlier rejected solutions.

Compared to simulated annealing, the tabu search heuristic performed well.

A combinatorial search technique used to solve optimization problems by tracking and guiding the search.


makespan

If we don't reduce the makespan of that product, the order won't be shipped on time.

(manufacturing) the time difference between the start and finish of a sequence of jobs or tasks


reliability

reliability (usually uncountable, plural reliabilities)

(engineering) measurable time of work before failure


slush

slush (usually uncountable, plural slushes)

Most likely imitative; related to slosh.

(engineering) A mixture of white lead and lime, used as a paint to prevent oxidation.


shears

the shears of a lathe or planer

(engineering) The bedpiece of a machine tool, upon which a table or slide rest is secured.


orthographically

To represent an internal feature orthographically, dashed lines are used instead of solid ones.

(drafting, engineering, manufacturing) Using an orthographic projection (a way of showing three-dimensional objects in two-dimensional engineering drawings).


magnetohydrodynamics

(nautical, engineering) the study of the interaction of water with magnetic fields and its application


flexure

flexure (countable and uncountable, plural flexures)

(engineering) A part of a machine designed to bend in operation.


sinc

(engineering) Ellipsis of sinc function: f = sin(pi*x)/(pi*x).


roughness

roughness (countable and uncountable, plural roughnesses)

From Middle English roughnes, roughnesse, equivalent to rough + -ness. Compare Old English hrēohnes (“roughtness”).

The surface roughness was low.

(countable, engineering) A measure of how rough something is, such as a surface


clearance hole

allowance#English:_planned deviation in engineering

(engineering) A hole through an object which is large enough to enable threads of a screw or bolt to pass through but not the head of the screw or bolt. Standards for clearance holes provide specific allowances added to the fastener's diameter.


midspan

(engineering) In structural engineering, the point on a flexural member (typically a beam, girder, or spandrel panel) that is equidistant from the two end supports.


(automotive, engineering) Alternative spelling of V-twin.


metamaterial

This study paves the way for investigating complex contact-based dynamics of microgranular media, demonstrates a novel acoustic metamaterial, and yields a new approach to studying micro- to nanoscale contact mechanics in multiparticle networks..

2015, Morgan Hiraiwa, Maroun Abi Ghanem, Samuel P. Wallen, Amey Khanolkar, Alexei A. Maznev, Nicholas Boechler, “Complex contact-based dynamics of microsphere monolayers revealed by resonant attenuation of surface acoustic waves”, in arXiv:

Planar metamaterials with subwavelength thickness, or metasurfaces, consisting of single-layer or few-layer stacks of planar structures, can be readily fabricated using lithography and nanoprinting methods, and the ultrathin thickness in the wave propagation direction can greatly suppress the undesirable losses.

2016, Hou-Tong Chen, Antoinette J Taylor, Nanfang Yu, “A review of metasurfaces: physics and applications”, in arXiv:

(engineering, physics) Any material engineered to have a property that is rarely observed in naturally occurring materials; especially:

electromagnetic radiation
electromagnetic radiation

Any material that obtains its electromagnetic properties from its structure rather than from its chemical composition; especially a material engineered to have features of a size less than that of the wavelength of a class of electromagnetic radiation.


volute

From French volute, from Italian voluta, from Latin volūta, from the feminine of volūtus, perfect passive participle of volvō. Doublet of vault.

(engineering) The casing in a centrifugal pump, whose shape is somewhat similar to architectural volutes.


volute

(engineering) Of a spring: having a spiral curve on its tail.


angle bracket

Any of a number of angle-shaped brackets.

(engineering) an object used to connect two other objects at an angle


preload

preload (countable and uncountable, plural preloads)

The preload itself should be tightened gradually. Many older threadless headsets suspend their preload bolts within soft plastic caps; they sink right through easily enough.

2008, Sam Tracy, Roadside Bicycle Repair, Fulcrum Publishing, →ISBN, page 55:

(engineering) The internal application of stress to certain mechanical systems.


free state

From free + state, probably a calque of German Freistaat.

The steel ring is required by the engineering drawing to have roundness within .25mm TIR while in the free state. Its diameters may be measured in the constrained state while the part is still chucked or fixtured.

(engineering) A condition of not being supported or constrained by outside forces.


locoregional

By surface analysis, loc(al) + -o- + region + -al.

surf

Near-synonym: regional

locoregional anesthesia;  locoregional therapy;  locoregional nerve block

chemotherapy for breast cancer by locoregional irradiation

(especially sciences, engineering) Being at the scale of, or having the scope of, local and regional.

Restricted to a certain limited area of the body (of a human, animal, or plant).

Near-synonym: regional

locoregional standards

Restricted to a locality or a region geographically.


rated

en-adj

rated (comparative more rated, superlative most rated)

more rated (comparative)
most rated (superlative)

(engineering) maximum (load, voltage, etc.) under which a device can function properly


magnetic bearing

en-noun

magnetic bearing (plural magnetic bearings)

(engineering) A contactless mechanical bearing in which a rotating part, such as a shaft, is held in place by a magnetic field.


datum line

(engineering) A line which serves as a reference or base for the measurement of other quantities.


space cloth

(engineering) A partially conductive cloth or sheet, especially one whose resistance matches the impedance of free space (377 ohms per square).


space technology

space technology (countable and uncountable, plural space technologies)

(uncountable) The application of science and engineering to the exploration and utilization of outer space

(countable) Any particular scientific or engineering discipline used in this field


hogging

For a cantilevered beam, the steel reinforcement should be placed at the top to carry the hogging moment along the upper face.

(nautical, engineering) Drooping at the ends; arching; in distinction from sagging.


keyed

en-adj

keyed (comparative more keyed, superlative most keyed)

more keyed (comparative)
most keyed (superlative)

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

* (praiseworthy and admirable): Coined by 4chan users upset at the widened usage of based (“praiseworthy and admirable, particularly in a perceived countercultural sense”) outside of their community.
Most likely simply from the verb key; in slang perhaps connected to the "securing" action of a lock and key (compare e.g. scored).

(mechanics, engineering, of a joint between components) Having a key, mated to a keyseat and/or keyway, to either control or prevent movement.


tributary load

en-noun

tributary load (usually uncountable, plural tributary loads)

(engineering) The accumulation of loads that are directed toward a particular structural member.


moment of inertia

moment of inertia (plural moments of inertia)

Stresses due to vertical shearing forces also depend on moment of inertia and are discussed in Chapter 8.
Some mathematicians and stress analysts use the term second moment of area instead of moment of inertia. That term is, in fact, more descriptive of the definition of this property in the following discussion.

2007, Robert L. Mott, Applied Strength of Materials, 5th edition, Taylor & Francis (CRC Press), page 323:

Second moment of area
second moment of area

(engineering, structural engineering) Second moment of area; a measure of a rigid body's resistance to bending.


quartering

(engineering) At right angles, as the cranks of a locomotive, which are in planes forming a right angle with each other.


breasting

(engineering) The curved channel in which a breastwheel turns.


threading

threading (countable and uncountable, plural threadings)


supermassive

en-adj

supermassive (comparative more supermassive, superlative most supermassive)

more supermassive (comparative)
most supermassive (superlative)

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

supermassive SVBIED

supermassive black hole

(especially military, engineering, sciences) Extremely massive; of extraordinary mass.


pitching

en-noun

pitching (countable and uncountable, plural pitchings)

(engineering) A facing of stone laid upon a bank to prevent wear by tides or currents.


picker

From Middle English pikere, pykare, equivalent to pick + -er.

(engineering) A machine for picking fibrous materials to pieces so as to loosen and separate the fibre.


acorn nut

From acorn + nut, because it resembles an acorn.

(engineering) A closed nut having a dome-like cap over the rear protruding part of the engaged screw or bolt.


jumbo

jumbo (countable and uncountable, plural jumbos)

From Jumbo (1860–1885), the name given to a large African elephant from East Africa that was purchased in 1882 by American showman P. T. Barnum (1810–1891) for the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. Compare Swahili jambo (“matter, thing”) and jumbe (“chief, headman”).

In all three tunnels the full face was drilled at once. […] [T]he mucking machine was immediately converted into a drilling jumbo upon completion of the mucking operation. Both jumbos carried all the posts and bars necessary for the mounting in any desired position of four automatic DA-30 drifters.

1942 January, H. E. Robinson, “Tucumcari Tunnel Construction”, in The Reclamation Era, volume 32, number 1, Washington, D.C.: Bureau of Reclamation, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 11, column 3:

The curtailment of drilling because of a disruption of the loading cycle is far less likely with the jumbo than with post and tripod drilling, because from three to five working places are available to the jumbo, whereas only one or, at the most, two faces can be worked by one crew with the old method.

1946, Mine and Quarry Engineering, London: Electrical Press, →OCLC, page 67:

(engineering) A platform-mounted machine for drilling rock.


spallation

spallation (countable and uncountable, plural spallations)

(engineering, materials science) Fragmentation due to stress or impact, or any pattern of surface damage created thereby.


casing shoe

(engineering) In drilling, a bullnosed device attached to the bottom of the casing string. A casing hanger, which allows the casing to be suspended from the wellhead, is also attached to the top of the casing.


roundness

roundness (usually uncountable, plural roundnesses)

From Middle English roundnesse, equivalent to round + -ness.

(engineering, manufacturing) The degree of accuracy to which a manufactured object intended to be round fulfills that requirement; it is measured by parameters such as TIR (total indicator reading).


general contractor

general contractor (plural general contractors)

(construction, engineering) A contractor hired to manage a project and to hire subcontractors. (If a customer serves as their own general contractor then this means they undertake the management tasks and the hiring of subcontractors.)


power factor

The power factor is of interest because it is a measure of the power which does useful work.

(electrical, engineering) The ratio of the actual power to the apparent power in an alternating current power system; specifically, the cosine of the phase angle between the voltage and the current.


safety factor

The common safety factor used for elevator support cables is 11.

(engineering) The ratio of the maximum stress or load which something can withstand to the stress or load which it was designed to withstand under normal operation.


trusswork

(engineering) Structures consisting of trusses.


sanitation engineering

(engineering) The study, design, construction and operation of landfills.


interceptor

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

(architecture, engineering) A device to trap, remove, or separate hazardous or undesirable matter (such as oil or sand) from normal waste conveyed through it, permitting normal sewage or liquid wastes to discharge into the disposal terminal by gravity.


phasor

(sciences, engineering) A plotted line whose length and angle represent the amplitude and phase, respectively, of a sinusoidally varying quantity such as an alternating current.

osoitin

A plotted line that represents the amplitude and phase of a sinusoidally varying quantity such as an alternating current.


decoherence

decoherence (countable and uncountable, plural decoherences)

/diːkəʊˈhɪəɹəns/

Foundations of Physics
H. Dieter Zeh
quantum decoherence

First attested 1902 (OED) in the electrical engineering sense "the resetting of a coherer." From decohere (also 1902) + -ence, representing the verbal noun (compare decohesion, decoherency). The quantum mechanics concept was introduced in 1970 by German physicist H. Dieter Zeh, writing in the journal Foundations of Physics.

(engineering, dated) The normal condition of sensitiveness in a coherer; reversion to such condition.


run in

en-adj

run in (not generally comparable, comparative more run in, superlative most run in)

more run in (comparative)
most run in (superlative)

The engine should be well run in before its heavy working life begins.

Behaviour patterns now thoroughly "run in", and financial stringencies, appear to impose sharp limits on the prospects of success here.

1978, European Conference of Ministers of Transport, International Symposium on Theory and Practice in Transport Economics The Contribution of Economic Research to Transport Policy Decisions, page 64:

In addition to the above, the systems analyst should go on shift with the users for the first few days or longer until the system is thoroughly run in.

1978, John E. Bingham, Garth W.P. Davies, A Handbook of Systems Analysis, page 35:

Now that the engine is thoroughly run in, our overall fuel economy is creeping toward the high 22-mpg range.

1993 December, T.S., “Long-Term Test cars”, in Popular Mechanics, volume 170, number 12, page 112:

Under no circumstances run a new motor at high speed until it has covered several hundred miles and is thoroughly “run in.”

2012, Victor W. Page, Early Motorcycles: Construction, Operation and Repair, page 487:

Alternative form of run-in (adjective) (styled open when in predicative position)

(participial adjective; mechanical, engineering) (sometimes comparable) Having been run in to seat the parts.


shakeout

(engineering) The separation of molds from their flask, the castings from the molding sand, and potentially the cores from the castings.


feed-through

(electronics, engineering) A hermetically sealed connection between two volumes.


BoM

bill of materials
bill of materials#English

(manufacturing, engineering) Initialism of bill of materials.


freewheel

en-verb

freewheel (third-person singular simple present freewheels, present participle freewheeling, simple past and past participle freewheeled)

freewheels (present singular third-person)
freewheeling (participle present)
freewheeled (participle past)
freewheeled (past)

(engineering, mechanics, of a gear) To continue spinning after disengagement.


thermal energy

en-noun

thermal energy (plural thermal energies)

(engineering) A form of energy; sensible energy; heat


shafting

shafting (countable and uncountable, plural shaftings)

(engineering) A system of connected shafts for communicating motion.


stripping

(chemistry, engineering) A physical separation process where one or more components are removed from a liquid stream by a vapor stream


centroid

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

From centre + -oid. From 1844, used as a replacement for the older terms "centre of gravity" and "centre of mass" in situations described in purely geometrical terms, and subsequently used for further generalisations.

barycentre

centre of gravity of a uniform, rigid object

barycentre

centre of gravity of a set of points of equal mass

The center of gravity of any body or geometrical magnitude is by definition the same as the centroid of a certain system of parallel forces. It will be convenient, therefore, to use the word centroid in most cases instead of center of gravity.[…]The centroid of any area may be found by the following method: Divide the area into parts such that the area and centroid of each part are known. Take the centroids of the partial areas as the points of application of forces proportional respectively to those areas. The centroid of this system of forces is the centroid of the total area, and may be found by the method of Art. 172.

1892, Leander Miller Hoskins, The Elements of Graphic Statics, MacMillan and Co., pages 151–152:

For example, if a postal code area (PCA) has 1000 distinct residences, we might suppose all 1000 residences are at the centroid of the PCA. Centroids are commonly used, for example, with geographic information systems and CD-ROM phone books (Francis, Lowe, Rushton and Rayco 1999).

2004, Richard L. Francis, Timothy J. Lowe, Arie Tamir, “7: Demand Point Aggregation for Local Models”, in Zvi Drezner, Horst W. Hamacher, editors, Facility Location: Applications and Theory, Springer-Verlag, page 207:

operatorname Centroid(𝒳)=(∫xg(x)dx)/(∫g(x)dx)      (6)
where the integrals are taken over the whole space ℝⁿ, and g is the characteristic function of the subset, which is 1 inside 𝒳 and 0 outside it [27].

2020, Cheng Zhang, Qiuchi Li, Lingyu Hua, Dawei Song, Assessing the Memory Ability of Recurrent Neural Networks, Giuseppe De Giacomo, et al. (editors), ECAI 2020: 24th European Conference on Artificial Intelligence, IOS Press, page 1660, In ℝⁿ, a centroid is the mean position of all the points in all of the coordinate directions. The centroid of a subset 𝒳 of ℝⁿ is computed as follows

(geometry, physics, engineering, of an object or a geometrical figure) The point at which gravitational force (or other universally and uniformly acting force) may be supposed to act on a given rigid, uniformly dense body; the centre of gravity or centre of mass.

形心

mean position of points in a geometrical figure — see also center of gravity, barycenter


cockhead

From cock + head. See cock (“turn upward”).

(engineering) The rounded or pointed top of a grinding mill spindle, forming a pivot on which the stone is balanced.


Wizard of Oz

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
Wizard of Oz (character)

The name of a character from the 1900 book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum, or any of its adaptations, about the journey of Dorothy through the magical Land of Oz in search of a way home.

The goal of Neimo is to provide designers with a "Wizard of Oz" environment to observe and evaluate how users interact with multimodal interfaces.

1992, Wayne D. Gray, William E. Hefley, Dianne Murray, “NEIMO, A MULTIMODAL WIZARD OF OZ PLATFORM”, in Proceedings of the 1993 International Workshop on ..., page 204:

Once a preliminary application design is complete, a wizard-of-oz study can help test and refine the interface.

2006, E. K. Brown, Anne Anderson, Encyclopedia of Language & Linguistics, volume 11, page 769:

A Wizard of Oz prototype is an incomplete system that a designer can simulate "behind a curtain" (usually by taking the place of a recognizer) while observing the reactions of real end users (see Figure 1).

2007, Proceedings of the ACM Symposium on User Interface Software ..., page 119:

(engineering, social sciences, usually attributive) A person simulating the operation of a supposed intelligent device, usually in an experiment.


priming

There have been failures, of course, and especially delays due to bad steaming, and, more often, priming.

1959 April, P. Ransome-Wallis, “The Southern in Trouble on the Kent Coast”, in Trains Illustrated, London: Ian Allan Publishing, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 216:

(engineering) A harmful condition in which water is carried over from the boiler of a steam locomotive.


grouser

(engineering) A protrusion on the surface of a wheel or continuous track segment, intended to increase traction in soil, snow, or other loose material.


sheeting

sheeting (countable and uncountable, plural sheetings)

(engineering) A lining of planks or boards for protecting an embankment.

Verschalung

A lining of boards for protecting an embankment


drawbar

(engineering) A device for changing the tools on milling machines.


drawbolt

When changing from one diameter to another, it is necessary to change both the drawbolt and outer sleeve.

1970, General Aircraft Maintenance Manual, pages 4-115:

Then tighten the drawbolt one additional turn to make the punch bite into the metal.

1987, Robert J. Rechs, Build Your Own Hot-Air Balloon, page 143:

Tough joints for heavy jobs, such as workbenches are obtained by the use of drawbolts (Fig. 13-8).

1989, Woodworker's Guide to Master Craftsman Techniques, page 132:

(engineering) A type of bolt with a threaded end that can be tightened to pull connected parts closer together and to increase tension.


taglia

From Italian taglia (“a cutting, a pulley”), from tagliare (“to cut”). See tailor.

(engineering, obsolete) A particular system of fixed and movable pulleys; a tackle with a set of sheaves in a fixed block and another set in a movable block to which the weight is attached.


geoengineering

“You could say it's one of the first geoengineering projects ever,” says [Carlo] Ratti of the patchwork of land-spattered lagoon that human ingenuity formed into a city, as we settle on the terrace of the Hotel Monaco with an espresso. “This wasn't meant for human living.”

2025 April 26, Caroline Roux, “The age of adaption”, in FT Weekend:

(engineering, mining) The subfield of engineering concerned with designing and constructing tunnels, mines, and other human-designed geologic structures within and on earth.


ergodic

en-adj

ergodic (comparative more ergodic, superlative most ergodic)

more ergodic (comparative)
most ergodic (superlative)

International Scientific Vocabulary ergo- + -ode (+ -ic). The etymological origin is disputed: ἔργον (érgon) + ὁδός (hodós, “way”) versus ἔργον (érgon) + εἶδος (eîdos, “image”).

(statistics, engineering) Of or relating to a process in which every sequence or sample of sufficient size is equally representative of the whole.


bio-inspired

(mathematics, sciences, engineering) Ideas inspired by mechanisms or laws operating in biological organisms, e.g. neural networks.


reprocess

en-verb

reprocess (third-person singular simple present reprocesses, present participle reprocessing, simple past and past participle reprocessed)

reprocesses (present singular third-person)
reprocessing (participle present)
reprocessed (participle past)
reprocessed (past)

/ɹiːˈpɹəʊsɛs/

In order to greatly reduce the plant's output of high-level radioactive waste that has to be disposed of somehow, an onsite facility reprocesses the spent fuel rods using the PUREX process, separating out the unburnt uranium and plutonium from the troublesome fission products.

(engineering) To extract the fissile material (mainly uranium and plutonium) remaining in spent nuclear reactor fuel, allowing it to be recycled into fresh nuclear fuel or (for plutonium and/or uranium-233 from some specialized breeder reactors) used to build nuclear weapons; may also extend to recovering nonfissile but fertile elements remaining in spent reactor fuel (such as thorium), or precious metals produced as fission products.


retarder

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

[...] unlike the latest British yards, Gremberg has only primary retarders, manually operated, a method that the hump operators apparently prefer to electro-pneumatic control because they can grade the braking pressure more accurately by feel.

1961 April, G. Freeman Allen, “The "Rheingold" goes via Cologne”, in Trains Illustrated, page 237:

(mechanical engineering) A device for slowing down large trucks, lorries, buses, shunted railway wagons.


chucking

A complete lay-out showing each operation in the three chuckings required to finish a cross-head of typical design is shown in Fig. 11.

(engineering) The holding of an object in a chuck.


EDC

electronic data capture
w:electronic data capture

(sciences, engineering, quality assurance) Initialism of electronic data capture.


form factor

Shugart Associates first introduced the 5.25-inch form factor along with the first 5.25-inch floppy drive back in 1976.

2004, Scott Mueller, Upgrading and Repairing Laptops, page 311:

2007, March, Erin McKean, “Redefining the dictionary”, Technology Entertainment Design
I want him to barely remember that this is the form factor that dictionaries used to come in.

(engineering, design, commerce) The geometry of an object, especially in engineering design; configuration.

kokoluokka

The geometry of an object in engineering design


scroll wheel

(engineering) A cog wheel in the form of a scroll.


terraforming

/ˈtɛɹəfɔːmɪŋ/

Almarcrux's abundant water and relatively mild temperature and gravity have placed it on the short list of terraforming candidate worlds. However, there is significant opposition from eco-ethics groups, who assert that Almarcrux's primitive methanotrophic bacteria may be a precursor to a full-fledged native ecology.

2008, BioWare, Mass Effect, Redwood City: Electronic Arts, →ISBN, →OCLC, PC, scene: Almarcrux planetary description:

The hypothetical process of deliberately modifying the atmosphere, temperature, surface topography or ecology of a planet, moon, etc. to make it similar to those of Earth and thus suitable for human life.


ball bearing

ball bearings (plural)
ballbearing (alternative)

(engineering) A bearing assembly which uses spherical bearing balls as the rolling elements.


reprocessing

en-noun

reprocessing (countable and uncountable, plural reprocessings)

For 75 years, it has fulfilled a wide range of roles: producing weapons-grade plutonium for early atomic weapons in the aftermath of the Second World War; the world's first commercial nuclear power station supplying electricity to the National Grid; reprocessing and storage of nuclear fuel; and the processing of lower grades of radioactive waste for off-site storage.

2023 December 27, Ben Jones, “Inside Sellafield... by rail”, in RAIL, number 999, page 20:

(engineering, nuclear physics, uncountable) The process of extracting useful or valuable materials from used nuclear fuel, mainly focusing on the recovery of fissile and fertile material for use in fresh nuclear reactor fuel, or, in some cases, the manufacture of nuclear weapons.


surface clutter

Unwanted echoes usually occur as distributed clutter, as surface clutter (such as land and sea echoes) or as volume clutter (such as rain, chaff).

2004, Rajeev Bansal, Handbook of Engineering Electromagnetics, →ISBN, page 405:

(engineering) Unwanted radar or sonar wave reflection arising from the land or sea surface.


LMC

Coordinate term: MMC

(engineering) Initialism of least material condition.


interfix

en-verb

interfix (third-person singular simple present interfixes, present participle interfixing, simple past and past participle interfixed)

interfixes (present singular third-person)
interfixing (participle present)
interfixed (participle past)
interfixed (past)

Generally speaking the article is formed of two pieces which are interfixed for providing a pair of spring urged jaws...

1932, Elmer G. Koch, "Collar Fastener", United States Patent 1915250 http://www.google.com/patents?id=tpZPAAAAEBAJ, page 2

(engineering, transitive) To attach or anchor (two or more parts) together.


retection

en-noun

retection (countable and uncountable, plural retections)

From Latin retectio, retectionem (“discovery, uncovering”).

der

Special issue: T-Ray Imaging, Sensing and Retection

2007 August, Proceedings of the IEEE, volume 95, number 8:

(engineering) Detection through a concealing layer. (Note: this use is somewhat specific to electrical engineering and related fields investigating the uses of T-Ray Sensing.)


terahertz radiation

(engineering) Electromagnetic waves with frequencies around one terahertz.

(engineering) Especially electromagnetic waves in the range 0.1-30 THz (or subranges there of, see T-rays or T-waves).


submillimeter wave radiation

en-noun

submillimeter wave radiation (uncountable)

(engineering) Electromagnetic waves roughly in the band less than 1 millimeter in wavelength, used as a synonym for T-ray or T-wave


saw tooth

(mathematics, engineering) Describing a function or waveform that consists of repeated triangular transitions when graphed.


bow spring

(engineering) A spring in the shape of a bow.


civil engineering

The technical design and construction of public works such as bridges, buildings, harbours, public greens, roads, etc., and/or technically equivalent private (usually corporate) ones.

الهندسة المدنية

technical design and construction of public works and/or equivalent private ones