Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
collet chuck

collet chuck

9.7
A cone-shaped clamp that holds round rods firmly in a lathe
  • noun
  • /ˈkɒlɪt tʃʌk/
  • Specialized
translation icon : morsa cónica
  • To ensure accuracy, a collet chuck is essential for gripping the workpiece on a lathe.

Examples

  • The machinist used a collet chuck to hold the metal rod securely while drilling.

  • I replaced the old collet chuck with a new one to improve the precision of my milling machine.

  • And I also recently got a inexpensive eBay purchase, one of these Collet chucks, and I'm finding it actually to be pretty precise.

Synonyms

clamp
vscollet chuck
92 3.3

A tool that holds things tightly while you work

is specific to securing round work in rotating machine tools rather than general holding
chuck
vscollet chuck
  • Specialized
1 9.5

A part in machines like drills and lathes that holds a bit or material being worked on

is based on a cone-shaped grip that secures cylindrical objects without jaws
collet
vscollet chuck
  • Specialized
9.9

A cone-shaped part that grips a round rod tightly in a machine

is the same device but named more often when attached to a machine spindle

Surface Forms

collet chuck singular
collet chucks plural

Morphology

collet + chuck

The compound directly combines two nouns whose meanings specify a subtype: a 'collet' (a cone-shaped clamping insert) and a 'chuck' (a tool holder/jaws). A learner who knows both constituents can readily infer it denotes a chuck that uses a collet, so the meaning is compositional and predictable.

Etymology

Collet chuck comes from two parts: a collet is a small cone that squeezes around a round object, and a chuck is a holder. So a collet chuck is literally a cone-in-a-holder used to 'clamp' round pieces tightly, which is why the name means 'a clamp that holds round pieces so a machine can work on them accurately'.