- 1(often in compounds) a piece of equipment with moving parts that is designed to do a particular job. The power used to work a machine may be electricity, steam, gas, etc. or human power. Machines have replaced human labor in many industries. to operate/run a machine How does this machine work? a washing/sewing machine a machine for making plastic toys I left a message on her answering machine. The potatoes are planted by machine. see voting machine
Want to learn more?
Find out which words work together and produce more natural sounding English with the Oxford Collocations Dictionary app.
- 2(informal) a particular machine, for example in the home, when you do not refer to it by its full name Just put those clothes in the machine (= the washing machine). The new machines (= computers) will be shipped next month.
- 3a group of people that control an organization or part of an organization the president's propaganda machine Hollywood's slick public relations machine has produced a new improved model of a young movie star.
- 4(often disapproving) a person who acts automatically, without allowing their feelings to show or to affect their work He was the perfect fighting machine with a total disregard for his own personal safety. see mechanical, slot machine, time machine You will find other compounds ending in machine at their place in the alphabet. Idioms
a person who is a small part of a large organization
Check pronunciation: machine