mechanism
258
4.4
- noun
- /ˈmɛkəˌnɪzəm/
- Specialized
:
mecanismo
- The scientists are studying the mechanism that controls gene expression in living organisms.
So what would be the mechanism for creating these things?
- So what would be the mechanism for creating these things?
- Get him out while we still have the mechanisms with which to do so.
- They have this mechanism of paying for procedures.
- Why shouldn't we have a mechanism where all patients give feedback?
- And you don't have the neural mechanisms to, to reintegrate.
- Now, there's no mechanism in the Internet that allows that.
- And we know the mechanism by which this occurs.
- So all systems need to have some mechanism to resolve such conflicts.
- There were less mechanisms for me to withdraw.
- And that may be part of that mechanism of that heart brain risk.
- So we, we, we know a lot about the mechanisms, right?
- So I'm trying to understand how the mechanism can prevent that.
Examples
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There is also an emerging understanding of the underlying mechanisms through which this can occur.
Academic text (2012) -
There is a third party complaint mechanism that we're working on right now.
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So what would be the mechanism for creating these things?
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We need to introduce legal mechanism in the law to protect women.
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So I'm trying to understand how the mechanism can prevent that.
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And the more you understand about a mechanism, the more you can do to alter it.
Academic text (2012) -
However, some international organizations still have yet to establish any mechanism for the settlement of disputes.
Academic text (2017) -
Well, our brains come equipped with a self-preservation mechanism to stop us from harmful actions.
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Advocacy initiatives must carefully articulate "help" as a key mechanism to address these current school challenges.
Academic text (2015) -
How does the shutter speed mechanism communicate with the shutter?
Synonyms
76
4.6
The small steps and ways used to do something well in a skill or task
30
4.0
The systems and rules that make an organization or government work
1
3.9
The parts inside a machine or system that make it run
Compounds
- Specialized
10
5.3
A mental way a person uses without thinking to reduce strong anxious feelings
- Specialized
4
4.1
A physical trait or behavior that helps animals and plants avoid harm
- Specialized
1
4.1
A group of parts that controls the direction of a vehicle like a car or bicycle
- Specialized
The mechanical part of a device that makes parts move, like in a piano or toy
- Specialized
A group of wheels with teeth that pass movement and force to make a machine work
- Specialized
A part that opens by itself to let out pressure and prevent an accident
- Specialized
A way a disease spreads from animals or people to other people
How Complex
Surface Forms
Morphology
mechanism = mechanical (semi-transparent) = mechan + ism
The combining form 'mechan-' is not a standalone English word, but learners who know 'mechanical' or 'mechanic' can partially infer a relation; the borrowed formation and abstract 'system/process' sense make it not fully transparent.
Etymology
Mechanism comes from the old Greek root mechan-, which meant 'device' or 'machine' and is the same root as machine and mechanic. So a mechanism is a system or process — the 'device' by which something works.