engine
gb/ˈɛnd͡ʒən/ us/ˈɛnd͡ʒən/
A2
English
~ 1500
Senses
0 senses
Noun
A2
entity
1
Machine converting energy to power
A machine that uses fuel or power to make something move or work.
Usage pattern:
an engine [runs/stops/fails]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'engine' with 'motor', but 'engine' is usually for larger machines like cars, planes, and ships.
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.)
Collocations
car engine
|diesel engine
|jet engine
|engine failure
|engine power
Themes
technology
|transportation
|engineering
|science
Examples
- The car's engine needs to be replaced.
- The airplane's engines roared as it took off.
- 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.
- The plane has two engines.
- My bike does not have an engine.
- We fix the engine of the boat.
Noun
B1
entity
2
Software that processes data
A main computer program that does a special job, like finding information on the internet.
Common mistake:
Some learners think 'engine' here means a physical machine, but in computing it is software.
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'.)
Collocations
search engine
|game engine
|rendering engine
|engine update
Themes
technology
|computing
Examples
- Google is the most popular search engine.
- The game uses a new 3D engine for better graphics.
- They updated the rendering engine to improve performance.
- Developers built the app using a custom engine.
Learner examples
- Google is a search engine.
- This game has a new engine.
- The website uses a fast engine.
- We need a better search engine.
Noun
formal
B2
entity
3
Force driving a process forward
A person or thing that makes something happen or grow quickly.
Common mistake:
Learners may misunderstand this figurative use and think it refers to machines only.
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'.)
Collocations
engine of growth
|engine of change
|economic engine
Themes
business
|society
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Innovation is the main engine of economic growth.
- Education is the engine that drives social change.
- Tourism has become the country's economic engine.
Learner examples
- Tourism is an engine of growth here.
- Education is the engine of change.
- The factory is an engine for jobs.
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.