wheel

/wil/
/hwil/
/wil/
IPA guide

Other forms: wheels; wheeled

Definitions of wheel
  1. noun
    a simple machine consisting of a circular frame with spokes (or a solid disc) that can rotate on a shaft or axle (as in vehicles or other machines)
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    types:
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    balance, balance wheel
    a wheel that regulates the rate of movement in a machine; especially a wheel oscillating against the hairspring of a timepiece to regulate its beat
    bicycle wheel
    the wheel of a bicycle
    buffing wheel
    a wheel that is covered with soft material
    cartwheel
    a wheel that has wooden spokes and a metal rim
    car wheel
    a wheel that has a tire and rim and hubcap; used to propel the car
    daisy print wheel, daisy wheel
    a wheel around which is a set of print characters that make a typing impression on paper
    driving wheel
    a wheel that drives a motor vehicle (transforms torque into a tractive force)
    cogwheel, gear, gear wheel, geared wheel
    a toothed wheel that engages another toothed mechanism in order to change the speed or direction of transmitted motion
    emery wheel, grinding wheel
    a wheel composed of abrasive material; used for grinding
    handwheel
    a wheel worked by hand
    nosewheel
    a wheel located under the nose of an airplane that is part of the plane's landing gear
    paddle wheel, paddlewheel
    a large wheel fitted with paddles and driven by an engine in order to propel a boat
    pinwheel
    a wheel that has numerous pins that are set at right angles to its rim
    potter's wheel
    a horizontal rotating wheel holding the clay being shaped by a potter
    ratchet wheel
    toothed wheel held in place by a pawl or detent and turned by a lever
    roller
    a small wheel without spokes (as on a roller skate)
    roulette, toothed wheel
    a wheel with teeth for making a row of perforations
    rowel
    a small spiked wheel at the end of a spur
    sprocket, sprocket wheel
    thin wheel with teeth that engage with a chain
    trundle
    small wheel or roller
    wagon wheel
    a wheel of a wagon
    water wheel, waterwheel
    a wheel that rotates by direct action of water; a simple turbine
    water wheel, waterwheel
    a wheel with buckets attached to its rim; raises water from a stream or pond
    bevel gear, pinion and crown wheel, pinion and ring gear
    gears that mesh at an angle
    caster, castor
    a pivoting roller attached to the bottom of furniture or trucks or portable machines to make them movable
    escape wheel
    gear that engages a rocking lever
    fifth wheel, spare
    an extra car wheel and tire for a four-wheel vehicle
    mill wheel, millwheel
    water wheel that is used to drive machinery in a mill
    noria
    a water wheel with buckets attached to the rim; used to raise water for transfer to an irrigation channel
    pinion
    a gear with a small number of teeth designed to mesh with a larger wheel or rack
    epicyclic gear, planet gear, planet wheel, planetary gear
    an outer gear that revolves about a central sun gear of an epicyclic train
    rack and pinion
    a wheel gear (the pinion) meshes with a toothed rack; converts rotary to reciprocating motion (and vice versa)
    spur gear, spur wheel
    gear wheels that mesh in the same plane
    sun gear
    the central gear in an epicyclic train
    worm gear
    gear consisting of a shaft with screw thread (the worm) that meshes with a toothed wheel (the worm wheel); changes the direction of the axis of rotary motion
    worm wheel
    gear with the thread of a worm
    type of:
    machine, simple machine
    a device for overcoming resistance at one point by applying force at some other point
  2. noun
    a handwheel that is used for steering
    synonyms: steering wheel
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    type of:
    handwheel
    control consisting of a wheel whose rim serves as the handle by which a part is operated
  3. noun
    a circular helm to control the rudder of a vessel
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    type of:
    helm
    steering mechanism for a vessel; a mechanical device by which a vessel is steered
  4. noun
    game equipment consisting of a wheel with slots that is used for gambling; the wheel rotates horizontally and players bet on which slot the roulette ball will stop in
    synonyms: roulette wheel
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    type of:
    game equipment
    equipment or apparatus used in playing a game
  5. verb
    change directions as if revolving on a pivot
    “They wheeled their horses around and left”
    synonyms: wheel around
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    types:
    cartwheel
    do cartwheels: perform an acrobatic movement using both hands and feet
    type of:
    go around, revolve, rotate
    turn on or around an axis or a center
  6. verb
    wheel somebody or something
    synonyms: wheel around
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    type of:
    transport
    move something or somebody around; usually over long distances
  7. verb
    move along on or as if on wheels or a wheeled vehicle
    synonyms: roll, trundle
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    types:
    bowl
    roll (a ball)
    troll
    cause to move round and round
    type of:
    go, locomote, move, travel
    change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
  8. noun
    a wheeled vehicle that has two wheels and is moved by foot pedals
    synonyms: bicycle, bike, cycle
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    types:
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    bicycle-built-for-two, tandem, tandem bicycle
    a bicycle with two sets of pedals and two seats
    all-terrain bike, mountain bike, off-roader
    a bicycle with a sturdy frame and fat tires; originally designed for riding in mountainous country
    ordinary, ordinary bicycle
    an early bicycle with a very large front wheel and small back wheel
    push-bike
    a bicycle that must be pedaled
    safety bicycle, safety bike
    bicycle that has two wheels of equal size; pedals are connected to the rear wheel by a multiplying gear
    velocipede
    any of several early bicycles with pedals on the front wheel
    type of:
    wheeled vehicle
    a vehicle that moves on wheels and usually has a container for transporting things or people
  9. verb
    ride a bicycle
    synonyms: bicycle, bike, cycle, pedal
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    types:
    unicycle
    ride a unicycle
    backpedal
    pedal backwards on a bicycle
    type of:
    ride
    be carried or travel on or in a vehicle
  10. noun
    an instrument of torture that stretches or disjoints or mutilates victims
    synonyms: rack
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    type of:
    instrument of torture
    an instrument of punishment designed and used to inflict torture on the condemned person
  11. noun
    forces that provide energy and direction
    “the wheels of government began to turn”
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    type of:
    force
    a powerful effect or influence
Pronunciation
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DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘wheel'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors. Send us feedback
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