safety-valve mechanism
- noun
- Specialized
:
mecanismo de válvula de seguridad
- The reactor is equipped with a safety-valve mechanism that releases steam to prevent pressure from building up.
Examples
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Engineers designed a safety-valve mechanism to automatically release pressure in case of a malfunction.
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A properly functioning safety-valve mechanism ensures that excess pressure is released, maintaining the system's integrity.
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For example, some economists have argued for a "safety valve" mechanism whereby a regulated facility would be able to purchase additional allowances at a set price.
Academic text (2007)
Synonyms
4
3.9
A device that opens automatically to let out extra pressure
1
4.0
A way to let out strong feelings, for example by exercise
A device that opens by itself to let out extra pressure and prevent explosions
A valve that opens by itself to let out extra pressure in a steam boiler
How Quickly
Surface Forms
Morphology
safety-valve + mechanism
The overall meaning is directly built from the constituents: a 'mechanism' (device) that is a 'safety valve' (a valve for safety that releases pressure). This is a regular technical compound following transparent composition patterns (safety + valve + mechanism) and is likely inferable by a B1 learner who knows the individual words.
Etymology
Safety-valve mechanism comes from a simple machine image: a safety-valve is a small part that opens to let out extra steam or gas and a mechanism is the moving parts that make it work. When the valve opens it 'releases pressure' so the device does not explode, so the phrase now means 'a device that prevents dangerous buildup and keeps things safe'.