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Glite Dictionary
wheel lathe

wheel lathe

9.9
A machine that turns and shapes train wheels to make them smooth
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : torno de ruedas
  • The old railway workshop still uses a wheel lathe to restore locomotive wheels.

Examples

  • Specialists operated the wheel lathe to ensure the wheels were perfectly balanced.

  • A wheel lathe is essential equipment for servicing train wheels.

  • The wheel lathe is essential for railway maintenance.

  • Many wheel lathes are used in modern factories.

  • A wheel lathe is essential equipment for servicing train wheels.

  • Specialists operated the wheel lathe to ensure the wheels were perfectly balanced.

  • The old railway workshop still uses a wheel lathe to restore locomotive wheels.

Synonyms

lathe
vswheel lathe
  • Specialized
8 7.2

A machine that turns a piece of wood or metal while a tool cuts it

is specialized for shaping round parts used on railway cars and locomotives

Surface Forms

wheel lathe singular
wheel lathes plural

Morphology

wheel + lathe

The meaning is directly compositional: 'wheel' (the object) + 'lathe' (a machine for turning) yields a lathe used for shaping wheels. This noun–noun instrument naming pattern is common cross-linguistically and would be immediately inferable by a B1 learner who knows both constituents.

Etymology

Wheel lathe combines wheel and lathe. A lathe is a machine that turns a part while a tool shapes it, so a wheel lathe is used to 'turn' and 'shape' train wheels.