• (GA) IPA: /məˈʃin/

machine (plural machines)

1. A device that directs and controls energy, often in the form of movement or electricity, to produce a certain effect.
2. (dated) A vehicle operated mechanically, such as an automobile or an airplane.
3. (telephony, abbreviation) An answering machine or, by extension, voice mail.

   I called you earlier, but all I got was the machine.

4. (computing) A computer.

   Game developers assume they're pushing the limits of the machine.

   He refuses to turn off his Linux machine.

5. (figuratively) A person or organisation that seemingly acts like a machine, being particularly efficient, single-minded, or unemotional.

   Bruce Campbell was a "demon-killing machine" because he made quick work of killing demons.

   The government has become a money-making machine.

6. Especially, the group that controls a political or similar organization; a combination of persons acting together for a common purpose, with the agencies which they use.

   • The whole machine of government ought not to bear upon the people with a weight so heavy and oppressive.

7. Supernatural agency in a poem, or a superhuman being introduced to perform some exploit.
8. (politics, chiefly, US) The system of special interest groups that supports a political party, especially in urban areas.
   • 1902, The Friend

     A machine politician cannot see why the straight ticket (as be and his clique of party bosses prepare it) should not be voted by every citizen belonging to that party.

   • 2006, Jerry F. Hough, Changing Party Coalitions: The Mystery of the Red State-blue State Alignment, Algora Publishing ISBN 9780875864082, page 37

     In essence, therefore, the right-fork strategy of the Democrats meant an alliance of the South with the political machines built on the non-Protestant immigrants in key Northeastern states.

   • 2013, Paul M. Green, Melvin G. Holli, The Mayors: The Chicago Political Tradition, fourth edition, SIU Press ISBN 9780809331994, page 126

     He was thrust into a political maelstrom for which he was ill-prepared, and yet he was, most notably, the Chicago machine's political savior.

9. (euphemistic, obsolete) Penis.
   • 1749, [John Cleland], “[Letter the First]”, in Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure [Fanny Hill], volume I, London: Printed [by Thomas Parker] for G. Fenton [i.e., Fenton and Ralph Griffiths] […], OCLC 731622352 ↗, page 107 ↗:

     He now reſumes his attempts in more form: firſt he put one of the pillows under me, to give the blank of his aim a more favourable elevation, and another under my head, in eaſe of it: then ſpreading my thighs, and placing himſelf ſtanding between them, made them reſt upon his hips: applying then the point of his machine to the ſlit, into which he ſought entrance;

10. (historical) A contrivance in the Ancient Greek theatre for indicating a change of scene, by means of which a god might cross the stage or deliver a divine message; the deus ex machina.
11. (obsolete) A bathing machine.
    • 1823, Frances Burney, Journals and Letters, Penguin 2001, p. 512:

      One Machine only was provided for Bathers, the Limitted smoothness of the sands not extending widely enough to admit another.

• See also Thesaurus:machine

• French: machine
• German: Maschine
• Italian: macchina, meccanismo
• Portuguese: máquina
• Russian: маши́на
• Spanish: máquina

• Italian: macchina
• Russian: маши́на

• German: Maschine
• Russian: маши́на

• French: machine
• German: Maschine
• Italian: macchina
• Portuguese: máquina
• Russian: маши́на

machine (machines, present participle machining; past and past participle machined)

1. to make by machinery.
2. to shape or finish by machinery.

• French: usiner
• German: herstellen
• Spanish: mecanizar

• German: bearbeiten
• Spanish: mecanizar