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Glite Dictionary
driving axle

driving axle

5.7
A part that takes engine power and turns the wheels
  • noun
  • /ˈdraɪvɪŋ ˈæksəl/
  • Specialized
translation icon : eje motriz
  • The mechanic explained how the driving axle transfers power to the wheels.

Examples

  • When the driving axle failed, the entire truck came to a halt.

  • Many cars have a driving axle that connects to the engine.

  • A train's driving axle is responsible for moving the locomotive forward.

  • The driving axle is crucial for vehicle performance.

  • The mechanic explained how the driving axle transfers power to the wheels.

  • A train's driving axle is responsible for moving the locomotive forward.

  • When the driving axle failed, the entire truck came to a halt.

Synonyms

axle
vsdriving axle
  • Specialized
33 3.5

A bar that a wheel turns on, like in a car or bicycle

transmits engine power to make wheels turn rather than only supporting them
live axle
vsdriving axle
  • Specialized
6.5

A bar under a vehicle that sends engine power to the wheels

is similar but applies to any vehicle, not only self propelled ones

Surface Forms

driving axle singular
driving axles plural

Morphology

driving + axle

A B1 learner who knows 'driving' (the act of operating a vehicle) and 'axle' (the rod wheels rotate around) can reasonably infer that 'driving axle' refers to the axle involved in driving—i.e., the axle that transmits power to the wheels. This is a straightforward compositional attributive pattern (adjective/noun or verb-derived modifier + noun) found across languages, so the meaning is directly derivable from the parts.

Etymology

Driving axle comes from a simple image: the axle is a strong bar that links the wheels, and driving shows that this bar is turned by the engine to make the wheels move. So, a driving axle is 'the axle that makes the wheels turn'.