engine
gb/ˈɛnd͡ʒən/ us/ˈɛnd͡ʒən/
A2
English
~ 1500
motor, hajtómű, hajtóerő
NOUN
A2
1
Usage pattern:
an engine [runs/stops/fails]
The car's engine needs to be replaced.
Az autó motorját ki kell cserélni.
The airplane's engines roared as it took off.
A repülőgép hajtóművei felbőgtek, amikor felszállt.
He opened the hood to check the engine.
The ship is powered by a massive diesel engine.
Learner examples
The car has a big engine.
Az autónak nagy motorja van.
The plane has two engines.
A repülőgépnek két hajtóműve van.
My bike does not have an engine.
We fix the engine of the boat.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'engine' with 'motor', but 'engine' is usually for larger machines like cars, planes, and ships.
Meaning
Machine converting energy to power
Collocations
car engine
|diesel engine
|jet engine
|engine failure
|engine power
Synonyms
motor (Often used for smaller machines or electrical devices, while 'engine' is common for vehicles.)
Antonyms
brake (A device used to slow or stop motion, opposite in function to an engine's purpose.)
Themes
technology
|transportation
|engineering
|science
Definition
A machine that uses fuel or power to make something move or work.
A machine that changes fuel or other energy into mechanical power to perform work.
NOUN
B1
2
motor
B2
Google is the most popular search engine.
A Google a legnépszerűbb keresőmotor.
The game uses a new 3D engine for better graphics.
A játék egy új 3D-s motort használ a jobb grafika érdekében.
They updated the rendering engine to improve performance.
Developers built the app using a custom engine.
Learner examples
Google is a search engine.
A Google egy keresőmotor.
This game has a new engine.
Ennek a játéknak új motorja van.
The website uses a fast engine.
We need a better search engine.
Common mistake:
Some learners think 'engine' here means a physical machine, but in computing it is software.
Meaning
Software that processes data
Collocations
search engine
|game engine
|rendering engine
|engine update
Synonyms
platform (A broader term for systems that support applications; 'engine' refers to the core processing part.)
Antonyms
frontend (The user-facing part of software, as opposed to the processing core or 'engine'.)
Themes
technology
|computing
Definition
A main computer program that does a special job, like finding information on the internet.
A core software system that performs specific processing tasks, such as finding information or running a game.
NOUN
B2
FORMAL
3
Innovation is the main engine of economic growth.
Az innováció a gazdasági növekedés legfőbb hajtóereje.
Education is the engine that drives social change.
Az oktatás a társadalmi változás hajtóereje.
Tourism has become the country's economic engine.
Learner examples
Tourism is an engine of growth here.
A turizmus itt a növekedés egyik motorja.
Education is the engine of change.
Az oktatás a változás motorja.
The factory is an engine for jobs.
Common mistake:
Learners may misunderstand this figurative use and think it refers to machines only.
Meaning
Force driving a process forward
Collocations
engine of growth
|engine of change
|economic engine
Synonyms
driving force (More figurative and common in everyday speech; 'engine' here is often used in formal contexts.)
Antonyms
obstacle (Something that slows or stops progress, opposite of a driving 'engine'.)
Themes
business
|society
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A person or thing that makes something happen or grow quickly.
A person, group, or factor that strongly influences or drives progress or change.
Grammar
Dictionary form
engine
IPA
GB/ˈɛnd͡ʒən/
US/ˈɛnd͡ʒən/
Syllables & stress
en - gine (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (en)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: engine
- Plural: engines
Word family
Forms
engines
noun
Core family
engineer
noun A2
engineering
noun B1
Advanced or less common
reengineer
verb
reengineering
noun
Expressions
engine of growth
1/ˈɛnd͡ʒən əv ɡɹˈoʊθ/
fixed phrase
formal
Thing driving economic growth
Something that helps an economy or business grow quickly.
Examples
- Tourism has become an important engine of growth for the country.
- Innovation is often seen as the key engine of growth in modern economies.
fire up the engine
1/fˈaɪɚ ˈʌp ðə ˈɛnd͡ʒən/
fixed phrase
Start a motor running
To start a machine's motor so it begins working.
Examples
- He fired up the engine and drove away.
- Let's fire up the engine and see if it works.
search engine
1/sˈɚt͡ʃ ˈɛnd͡ʒən/
fixed phrase
Program for finding web information
A computer program that finds information on the internet when you type words into it.
Examples
- Google is the most widely used search engine in the world.
- You can find recipes by using any search engine.