handheld vacuum
- noun
- /ˈhændˌhɛld ˈvækjuːm/
:
aspiradora portátil
- She reached for the handheld vacuum to tidy up the small mess on the living room carpet.
Examples
-
Jerry used a handheld vacuum to quickly clean up the crumbs from the kitchen table.
-
Taking samples involves using a souped-up handheld vacuum to suck bees directly off a frame from the hive box.
Academic text (1996) -
They gather 10 samples of a few hundred bees each from the apiaries using a handheld vacuum that has been altered to suck up bees instead of dirt.
Academic text (1996) -
After dinner, he grabbed the handheld vacuum to clean the bits of food that fell on the floor.
Synonyms
88
1.6
A machine that cleans floors and carpets by sucking up dust and dirt
41
1.0
An electric machine that cleans floors and carpets by sucking up dust
2
3.6
A machine that removes dust and dirt from floors and carpets
A small portable machine that sucks up dirt from small areas
A small vacuum you hold to clean crumbs in cars or on sofas
A small portable machine that sucks up dirt from chairs or car seats
How Portable
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly and transparently derived from combining 'handheld' (small and held in the hand) with 'vacuum' (a vacuum cleaner): it denotes a vacuum cleaner designed to be held in one hand. This is a straightforward compound/product-description pattern common across languages, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will readily infer the meaning.
Etymology
The name handheld vacuum gives a clear picture: hand + held shows a 'vacuum' you hold in one hand, like a small tool for quick cleanups. So, it means a small, portable vacuum cleaner you use for quick jobs.