ma‧chine 1 S1 W1 / məʃin / 名词 [可数名词]

1 a piece of equipment with moving parts that uses power such as electricity to do a particular job

washing/sewing etc machine

Is the washing machine working now?

Could you get me a coffee from the drinks machine ?

The fax machine is broken.

switch/turn a machine on/off

Turn the machine off before removing the cover.

by machine

The letters are sorted by machine.

Did you put my dirty shirts in the machine (= washing machine ) ?

I left a message for you on your machine (= telephone answering machine ) .

The machine wouldn’t let me have any money (= cash machine ) . → answering machine , cash machine , vending machine

2 a computer :

My machine’s just crashed.

3 a group of people who control and organize something – often used to show disapproval :

the bureaucrats of the party machine

the government’s propaganda machine

the powerful American war machine

4 informal a vehicle, especially a motorbike :

Riders have to learn to handle their machines in all conditions.

That’s a mean machine (= very fast and attractive vehicle ) you have there.

5 a person or animal that does something very well or without having to think about it :

In the tiger, nature has produced the perfect hunting machine.

I’m not a golfing machine. I make mistakes just like anyone else.

6 someone who seems to behave like a machine and to have no feelings or thoughts 同义词 automaton

7 a well-oiled machine something that works very smoothly and effectively :

The office runs like a well-oiled machine.

COLLOCATIONS

动词

switch on/turn on a machine Turn the machine on and slowly add the hot liquid.

switch off/turn off a machine Is the tape machine switched off?

operate/work a machine Have you been taught to operate the machine properly?

use a machine Can you use the copy machine?

a machine operates/works The machine works using solar power.

install a machine (= put it somewhere and connect it so it can be used ) 300 new machines have been installed across the country.

upgrade a machine (= add new and better parts to it or replace it with a better one ) How much will it cost to upgrade the machine?

types of machine

a washing machine (= for washing clothes ) Put your dirty clothes straight in the washing machine.

a sewing machine Can I borrow your sewing machine to make some curtains?

an answering machine (= for recording telephone messages ) There’s a message on the answering machine.

a coffee machine (= for providing cups of coffee ) She was at the coffee machine last time I saw her.

a vending machine (= for supplying drinks, chocolate bars etc ) You can buy hot drinks from the vending machine in the corridor.

a cash/ATM machine (= for giving you money from your bank account ) I need to stop at a cash machine.

a slot machine (= for putting coins in in order to try and win more money ) The casino has 500 slot machines.

a life-support machine (= for keeping a very sick person alive ) He has been on a life-support machine since the accident.

THESAURUS

machine a piece of equipment with moving parts that uses power such as electricity to do a particular job : a washing machine | an X-ray machine | Staff are trained to operate the machine.

appliance formal a machine or piece of electrical equipment, usually a large one, that people use in the home : The store sells kitchen appliances such as refrigerators, dishwashers, and toasters. | We carry out repairs on a range of household appliances.

device a piece of equipment, usually a small electronic one, that does a special job : electronic listening devices | 50,000 people downloaded the music to computers or portable devices such as iPods. | The device is fitted to the car and can detect stationary objects ahead.

gadget a small, useful, and cleverly-designed tool or machine : high-tech gadgets | He buys all the latest gadgets.

contraption a machine or piece of equipment that looks strange or complicated : There was a bizarre contraption for polishing the floor.