lockstitch machine
- noun
- /ˈlɑkˌstɪtʃ məˈʃin/
- Specialized
:
máquina de puntada de cierre
- The tailor preferred his vintage lockstitch machine for precise, durable seams.
Examples
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She learned to thread the lockstitch machine during her first sewing class.
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A modern garment factory often uses a mix of lockstitch machines and specialty machines.
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The lockstitch machine is essential for garment production.
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Can you show me how to use a lockstitch machine?
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A modern garment factory often uses a mix of lockstitch machines and specialty machines.
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The tailor preferred his vintage lockstitch machine for precise, durable seams.
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She learned to thread the lockstitch machine during her first sewing class.
How Mechanized
Surface Forms
Morphology
The noun is transparently compositional: 'lockstitch' names a specific type of stitch and 'machine' denotes a device, so a 'lockstitch machine' is directly interpretable as a machine that makes lockstitches. This noun+machine pattern is productive in English (and mirrored in many languages), so a B1 learner who knows the constituent meanings should be able to infer the MWE meaning.
Etymology
The noun lockstitch machine is named after the lockstitch, where an upper thread and a lower thread loop together and 'lock' like a tiny knot between two pieces of fabric. That's why a lockstitch machine makes 'secure' seams that do not easily come apart.