machine

1 of 2

noun

ma·​chine mə-ˈshēn How to pronounce machine (audio)
plural machines
1
a
: a mechanically, electrically, or electronically operated device for performing a task
an espresso machine
The store sold treadmills and other exercise machines.
… manufactures machines for the processing and packaging of pharmaceuticals …Rosie Fitzmaurice
b
: conveyance, vehicle
especially : automobile
Throughout the auto industry, the move is toward bigger engines and seductive ad campaigns pitched at motorists who yearn for the thrill of driving a mean machine. David Pauly et al.
c
: a coin-operated device
a snack machine
d(1)
: an assemblage (see assemblage sense 1) of parts that transmit forces, motion, and energy one to another in a predetermined manner
(2)
: an instrument (such as a lever) designed to transmit or modify the application of power, force, or motion
e
: any of various apparatuses formerly used to produce stage effects
f
: computer
especially : personal computer
You might think that your files are safe on your Mac and Windows machine. But hard drives are not perfect. Data can become corrupted, and it's easy to delete the wrong files by mistake. Andrew Uh
A firm-owned laptop is configured with the security software and applications the user needs to perform their job. Relocating the laptop to the home network preserves the security of the computer, making it safer to use than the typical home machine. Sharon D. Nelson and John W. Simek
2
a
: someone or something that resembles a machine (as in being methodical, tireless, or consistently productive)
… a gifted publicist and quote machineJohn Lancaster
Dan Reeves's Falcons weren't given much of a chance against the Vikings, the top scoring machine of all time.Paul Zimmerman
b(1)
: a combination of persons acting together for a common end along with the agencies they use
The Homefront tells the fascinating story of how America transformed itself in the years 1941-45 from a society mired in depression into a war machine more powerful than any the world had yet known.Stanley Marcus
From the first months of the war, each nation's propaganda machine encouraged its citizens to lionize their aces—those pilots having five or more victories.Howard G. Fisher
If the injustice is part of the necessary friction of the machine of government, let it go, let it go: perchance it will wear smooth …Henry David Thoreau
(2)
: a highly organized political group under the leadership of a boss (see boss entry 1 sense 2) or small group of individuals
a politician who challenged the local party machine
c
: a living organism or one of its functional systems
If fame means parading the inevitable ravages that time and excess wreak on the human machine, I'd just as soon do that in private.Stanley Bing
3
: a literary device or contrivance (such as a supernatural being or event) introduced for dramatic effect
4
a
archaic : a constructed thing whether material or immaterial : structure
… those supporters and pillars, upon whom the frame and machine of the building was grounded …John Stow and Anthony Munday
… with what beauty, art and contrivance, particular creatures are made, and how the several parts of this great machine are fitted to each other, and make a regular and uniform world …William Sherlock
b
archaic : a military engine (such as a catapult)

machine

2 of 2

verb

machined; machining

transitive verb

: to process by or as if by machine
especially : to reduce or finish by or as if by turning, shaping, planing, or milling by machine-operated tools
machinability noun
or less commonly machineability
machinable adjective
or less commonly machineable

Examples of machine in a Sentence

Noun Shovels are tools; bulldozers are machines. Do you know how to operate this machine? The machine is working properly. He was bragging about his new machine. The coach turned the team into a scoring machine. My younger brother is an eating machine. a politician who dared to challenge the local party machine Their army is a well-oiled machine. Verb The parts of the engine have been precisely machined.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Step up your morning coffee game with this Breville espresso machine, $200 off, or capture the luxurious feel of hotel beds with these plush Beckham pillows, 53 percent off. Amelia McBride, Travel + Leisure, 28 Nov. 2024 The main products Mexico exports are cars and car parts, as well as electrical machinery and appliances, such as laundry machines, according to data from The Atlas of Economic Complexity. Chantelle Lee, TIME, 27 Nov. 2024
Verb
The outsize date complication, meanwhile, has come to define Lange’s aesthetic, but its positioning on the dial is equally important: Located at 1 o’clock, its window is proportioned according to the golden mean of 1.618 and is machined from the same metal as the watch case. Oren Hartov, Robb Report, 17 Oct. 2024 Will they not only be moved by a fairy tale machined for a big, bad tech guy, the toughest of antiheroes to side with, but also believe that a nonhuman intelligence can capably capture and compel their imaginations? Randy Boyagoda, The Atlantic, 17 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for machine 

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle French, from Latin machina, from Greek mēchanē (Doric dialect machana), from mēchos means, expedient — more at may entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

circa 1545, in the meaning defined at sense 4a

Verb

1853, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of machine was circa 1545

Dictionary Entries Near machine

Cite this Entry

“Machine.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/machine. Accessed 5 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

machine

1 of 2 noun
ma·​chine mə-ˈshēn How to pronounce machine (audio)
1
b
: a combination of parts that transmit forces, motion, and energy to do some desired work
a sewing machine
c
: an instrument (as a lever or pulley) designed to transmit or change slightly the application of power, force, or motion
2
: an organized group that controls a political party
machinelike
-ˌlīk
adjective

machine

2 of 2 verb
machined; machining
: to shape or finish by machine-operated tools
machinable
mə-ˈshē-nə-bəl
adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on machine

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!