Machine
/məˈʃiːn/
nounA2
Definition
A machine is something made by humans that uses energy (like electricity, fuel, or muscles) to perform a specific job or task. Machines can be simple, like a bicycle, or complex, like a computer or a car.
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See It in Action
A device with parts that move and do work
- •The machine in the factory makes car parts.
- •I use a coffee machine every morning.
- •The machine broke down and stopped working.
A system or organization working like a machine
- •The government is like a big machine that helps run the country.
- •The office works like a well-oiled machine with everyone doing their job.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "machine" like "tool," but a machine usually has moving parts and uses power to work, not just your hands
- ✓Picture a washing machine spinning clothes in a circle to clean them
- ✓It's like the feeling of relief when a machine does hard work for you, so you don’t have to do it yourself
- ✓Sounds like "ma-SHEEN" → imagine a shiny metal robot (machine) working hard without stopping
- ✓Remember famous machines like cars or robots in movies that help people do difficult jobs
- ✓NOT like "hand tool" (only your hands move it), a machine moves by itself using power
- ✓NOT like "animal" (living), a machine is made by people and is not alive
- ✓NOT like "computer" (which is a type of machine), but all computers are machines because they do work with power
Try Other Words
- •Engine: a machine that produces power (Use when focusing on the part that creates power, like in cars or planes)
- •Device: a tool or gadget (Use when the object is simpler or electronic, not always mechanical)
- •Appliance: a machine used at home (Use when talking about machines like refrigerators or washing machines)
- •Robot: a machine that can work automatically (Use when the machine can do tasks by itself with some intelligence)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: No prefix or suffix; "machine" is a whole root word
- •Etymology: From French "machine," from Latin "machina," meaning a device or engine
- •Historical development: Originally meant a device or tool for work or war; now means any powered device
- •Modern usage: Used for many types of tools and systems that use power to do work, from simple to very complex
Reflect & Connect
•How do machines change the way people live and work in everyday life?
•Can you think of a machine that helps you or your family? How does it make tasks easier?
Fill in the blanks
1.A machine usually needs ___ like electricity or fuel to work properly.
2.When the machine stopped, the workers had to ___ the job by hand.
3.Unlike a hand tool, a machine has parts that ___ to do work.
4.The washing machine ___ clothes by moving them in water.
5.In some stories, a robot is a machine that can ___ tasks on its own.
6.The office works like a machine because everyone ___ their part well.
7.If a machine breaks, it usually needs a ___ to fix it.