traction engine
- noun
- /ˈtrækʃən ˈɛnʤɪn/
- Archaic
:
motor de tracción
- During the fair, the demonstration featured a massive traction engine showcasing its ability to work the fields.
Examples
-
The farmer used a restored traction engine to plow his fields, a common sight in the early 1900s.
-
Maybe we take traction engine.
-
In the countryside, we saw a vintage traction engine pulling a heavy load of timber.
Synonyms
∞
1.6
A machine like a car or bus that carries people and goods
How Powerful
- US
∞
1.0
85
2.3
- Archaic
88
1.0
297
1.0
24
1.0
Surface Forms
Morphology
The compound is directly compositional: 'traction' (pulling/grip) combined with 'engine' (a power machine) yields an engine whose function is to provide pulling power. Although specifics like it being steam-powered or historical are not deducible, a B1 learner who knows both constituents can infer the core meaning 'a machine/vehicle for pulling heavy loads'.
Etymology
The noun traction engine comes from the idea of an engine that gives traction, meaning it can grip the ground and 'pull' heavy loads. That's why the name means a steam-powered vehicle used to pull heavy loads on roads or in fields.