head gasket
- noun
- /hɛd ˈɡæskɪt/
- Specialized
- To fix the overheating issue, I need to replace the head gasket in my engine.
- a blown head gasket
- replace the head gasket
- a new head gasket
Examples
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We've blown the head gasket.
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The 4Runner blew a head gasket on Sunday night.
Blog text (34) -
- Well, we need a new head gasket...
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Problems with the head gaskets and expensive parts.
Blog text (29) -
This guy needs to get his head gasket checked.
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Have you blown a head gasket?
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We just blew a head gasket.
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David soon determined that the truck had blown a head gasket.
Blog text (34) -
My head gasket cracked.
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Can you swing by the auto place and see if they have a head gasket set for a 1955 Chevy small-block?
Antonyms
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is compositionally predictable: 'gasket' means a sealing piece and 'head' specifies the location (the engine head), so a learner who knows both words can infer it is the seal at the head of an engine that prevents leaks. This noun–noun technical compound follows common cross-linguistic part–of–object naming patterns, making it immediately comprehensible to B1 learners familiar with the constituents.
Etymology
Head gasket is a thin seal that sits between the engine's head, the top part, and the engine block; the name comes from its job as the 'gasket' at the 'head'. So, when the head gasket fails, oil and coolant can 'mix' or 'leak' into places they should not, and the engine can overheat or stop working.