axle

axle
axled, adj.
/ak"seuhl/, n.
1. Mach. the pin, bar, shaft, or the like, on which or by means of which a wheel or pair of wheels rotates.
2. the spindle at either end of an axletree.
3. an axletree.
[bef. 900; ME axel, OE eaxl shoulder, crossbeam (in eaxle-gespann); c. OFris ax(e)le, OS ahsla, OHG ahsala shoulder (G Achsel), ON oxl, L ala ( < deriv. of *aksla)]

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Pin or shaft on or with which wheels revolve; with fixed wheels, one of the basic simple machines for amplifying force.

Combined with the wheel, in its earliest form it was probably used for raising weights or water buckets from wells. Its principle of operation can be illustrated in the attachment of large and small gears to the same shaft; the tendency of a force applied at the radius on the large gear to turn the shaft is sufficient to overcome a larger force at the radius on the small gear. The mechanical advantage is equal to the ratio of the two forces and also equal to the ratio of the radii of the two gears.

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Universalium. 2010.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Axle — Ax le ([a^]ks l), n. [OE. axel, exel, shoulder, AS. eaxl; akin to AS. eax axle, Sw. & Dan. axel shoulder, axle, G. achse axle, achsel shoulder, L. axis axle, Gr. a xwn, Skr. aksha, L. axilla shoulder joint: cf. F. essieu, axle, OF. aissel, fr.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • axle — (n.) pole or pin upon which a wheel revolves, M.E. axel , from some combination of O.E. eax and O.N. öxull axis, both from P.Gmc. *akhsulaz (Cf. O.E. eaxl, O.S. ahsla, O.H.G. ahsala, Ger. Achsel shoulder ), from PIE *aks axis (see …   Etymology dictionary

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  • axle — ► NOUN ▪ a rod or spindle passing through the centre of a wheel or group of wheels. ORIGIN Old Norse …   English terms dictionary

  • axle — [ak′səl] n. [ME axel (only in comp. axeltre): see AXLETREE] 1. a rod on which a wheel turns, or one connected to a wheel so that they turn together 2. a) a bar connecting two opposite wheels, as of an automobile b) the spindle at either end of… …   English World dictionary

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  • axle — An axle is a shaft on which the wheels revolve. A full floating axle is used to drive the rear wheels. It does not hold them on nor support them. A semi floating or one quarter floating axle is used to drive the wheels, hold them on, and support… …   Dictionary of automotive terms

  • axle — [17] The word axle emerges surprisingly late considering the antiquity of axles, but related terms had existed in the language for perhaps a thousand years. Old English had eax, which came from a hypothetical Germanic *akhsō, related to Latin… …   The Hutchinson dictionary of word origins

  • axle — [17] The word axle emerges surprisingly late considering the antiquity of axles, but related terms had existed in the language for perhaps a thousand years. Old English had eax, which came from a hypothetical Germanic *akhsō, related to Latin… …   Word origins

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  • axle — UK [ˈæks(ə)l] / US noun [countable] Word forms axle : singular axle plural axles a metal bar that connects a pair of wheels on a car or other vehicle …   English dictionary

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