universal joint
1
5.3
- noun
- /ˌjuːnɪˈvɜrsl dʒɔɪnt/
- Specialized
:
junta universal
- A 28-page catalog describes this company's high-capacity industrial universal joints.
So you may recall in the case of universal chains, universal joints, I should say.
- So you may recall in the case of universal chains, universal joints, I should say.
Examples
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The cylinders are attached to each other by means of a specially designed universal joint.
Blog text (23) -
The protein resembles a universal joint, only on a molecular level.
Fiction book (2002) -
The trouble's got to be in either the universal joint or the rear end.
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These joints operate as universal joints do.
Academic text (2000) -
My car, something's wrong with it... the battery or the universal joint, I don't know.
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"And, having thoroughly oiled the universal joint "tested my gas, felt of her radiator "made sure her springs were okay.
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So I think what I'm going to do is get a kind of universal joint kind of hinge thing that hinges from this point all the way to this point.
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A tool swivel-fitting series functions like a universal joint to improve maneuverability and ergonomics.
Academic text (1996) -
This mechanism consists of six linear actuators connected to a base via six two-DOF universal joints and to an end-effector via six three-DOF ball and socket joints.
Academic text (1995) -
The mechanic inspected the universal joint to ensure it was functioning properly and not causing any vibrations during the drive.
Synonyms
25
5.3
A device that connects two machine parts so they move together
1
3.8
A part that connects two pieces and lets one move compared to the other
A part that connects two turning shafts at an angle
Surface Forms
Morphology
The compound is directly compositional: 'joint' = a connector and 'universal' = general/working in all directions, so a B1 learner who knows both words can infer it is a connector that allows multi-directional movement. The specialized engineering details (rotating shafts, power transmission) go beyond basic inference, but the core sense of a connector that works in many directions is transparently derivable from the constituents.
Etymology
Universal joint gets its name from the words universal, which means 'in all directions', and joint, a place that connects two parts. Imagine two turning shafts joined by a part that can bend and still let them turn, so a universal joint is a connector that sends power between shafts even when they are not in line.