earthmoving equipment
1
3.5
- noun
- Specialized
:
maquinaria de movimiento de tierras
- The construction site was bustling with earthmoving equipment as workers began digging foundations for the new building.
Examples
-
Before starting the excavation, the contractor assessed the earthmoving equipment to ensure it was functioning properly.
-
More unattended earthmoving equipment fills the road beyond.
Fiction book (1997) -
But we can't let the really hard parts (like earthmoving equipment) stop us from doing the rest - perfect is the enemy of good here.
Blog text (6) -
The creation of a dune by earthmoving equipment is especially common after storms, in part to clear areas inundated by overwash and in part to provide protection against overwash from subsequent storms.
Academic text (1990) -
Heavy earthmoving equipment was necessary to clear the land for the upcoming mining project.
Synonyms
61
3.1
A large, heavy machine with a front blade that pushes dirt and debris
24
3.4
A machine with a large bucket that digs and moves soil
17
3.4
Large machines like bulldozers or cranes used to move dirt and heavy materials
13
4.9
A machine that digs with a long arm and a bucket
12
3.4
Big powerful machines used for building or mining
9
3.9
A large machine with a scoop used for digging and moving earth
5
4.0
A large machine with a long arm and bucket that digs and moves earth
1
4.2
A large machine that moves soil and rock at construction sites
How Powerful
Surface Forms
Morphology
earthmoving + equipment
The meaning 'heavy machines for digging or moving earth' is directly derivable from combining 'earth' + 'moving' with 'equipment' — i.e. equipment for moving earth. This is a regular English compounding/modifier pattern (X equipment = equipment for X) and is cross-linguistically transparent, so a B1 learner who knows the constituents will readily infer the meaning.
Etymology
Earthmoving equipment comes from a clear picture of machines that move the earth, meaning the soil and rock on a building site. So the phrase now means 'heavy machines used for digging and moving soil'.