lathe

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A subclass to receive a screw-cutting lathe is superior to a subclass to receive a lathe-headstock, a locomotive class is superior to a class to receive steam-engines, for the reason that the lathe is a whole of which the headstock is a part, and the locomotive is an organization of which the engine is an element.

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Definitions (44)

Toggle American Heritage definitions American Heritage Dictionary (2)

  1. noun A machine for shaping a piece of material, such as wood or metal, by rotating it rapidly along its axis while pressing a fixed cutting or abrading tool against it.
  2. transitive verb To cut or shape on a lathe.

Toggle Century definitions Century Dictionary (39)

Toggle GNU Webster definitions GNU Webster's 1913 (2)

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Examples (50)

  • The saving, in respect to time, was 10 to 1 in comparison with the same amount of work done by hand labour; while the "truth" or correctness of the work done by this handy little application of the turning-lathe was absolutely perfect I have been the more particular in my allusion to this contrivance, as it is applicable to any lathe, and can perform work which no lathe without it can accomplish. —  James Nasmyth: Engineer, An Autobiography.
  • Livingstone took an interest in the turning-lathe, and increased his knowledge of tools—a knowledge which proved of the highest service to him when—as he used to say all missionaries should be ready to do—he had to become a Jack-of-all-trades in Africa. —  The Personal Life Of David Livingstone
  • So what I did was fabricate this piece with two holes (top and bottom) for the lathe, and the other two for the flange. —  Stu's Shed
  • He had produced both blackjacks and pins on his home lathe, and Colleen Grady had decorated each. —  Daily News-Record
  • He nibbles away the garbage and after a couple trips on and off the lathe, a lot of work and some planning he has a beautiful bowl.
 

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Etymologies (5)

Toggle American Heritage etymologies American Heritage Dictionary (1)

  1. Middle English, a device used by coopers, perhaps a turning lathe, probably of Scandinavian origin.

Toggle Century etymologies Century Dictionary (4)

  1. from Icelandic lödh (ladh-), plural ladhar, = Danish lad, a smiths' lathe. Connection with lathe is improbable, unless Icelandic lödh stands for orig, *hlödh; see lathe.
  2. Also laith; from Middle English lathe, from Icelandic hladha = Danish lade = Swedish lada, a barn, shed (in comp. Danish bog-lade = Swedish bok-låda, bookstore), = German laden, a booth, shop, stall, orig. ‘store,’ prob. from the verb represented by Icelandic hladha = Anglo-Saxon hladan, English lade, etc., load: see lade. In this case the word is not connected with English lathe, and G. laden, a plank, board, sash, shutter, etc., lade, a box, chest, etc.: see lathe.
  3. Also lath; from Middle English *lathe (?), from Anglo-Saxon lǣth, lēth, a district; cf. Icelandic leidh, a levy; or (a different word) Danish lægd, a levying district, lægd, a situation, site, prob. from the root of lie.
  4. Also laith; from Middle English lathen, from Anglo-Saxon lathian = Old Saxon lathian, ladhian = OFries. lathia, ladia = Old High German ladōn, Middle High German G. laden = Icelandic ladha = Gothic (Moesogothic) lathōn, invite, call.
 

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/leɪð/
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