Automobiles
Henry Ford's Model-T was first produced in October 1908. It was the cheapest car ever built, and it helped usher in a new age of transportation. Whether you're an automotive enthusiast or a total novice, check out these words connected to cars.
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Explore the Words
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acceleration
(physics) a rate of increase of velocityIt’s a car model that I really enjoy driving, with excellent handling and
acceleration.Seattle Times (Sep 12, 2017) -
accelerator
a pedal that controls the throttle valveHe likes the instant torque, the zero hesitation when he steps on the
accelerator.Washington Times (Jan 15, 2017) -
axle
a shaft on which a wheel rotatesThe gas tank was mounted behind the rear
axle, leaving it vulnerable in a crash.Seattle Times (Nov 16, 2016) -
carburetor
the part of a combustion engine that mixes air with gasolineThe fuel injection delivers an even flow of gas to the engine, something that
carburetors couldn’t always do.Washington Post (Jul 7, 2011) -
combustible
capable of igniting and burningFor enthusiasts, there was much ogling at under-the-hood advancements of the
combustible engine.The Verge (Sep 24, 2016) -
cylinder
a chamber within which a piston movesThe engine in the base Cooper — which starts at $20,745 — is also notable because it has just three
cylinders.Los Angeles Times (Sep 5, 2014) -
jalopy
a car that is old and unreliableThey pass the carcasses of old
jalopies, front ends fallen through the ice, doors riddled with bullet holes.Middlesex: A Novel -
lemon
an object, especially a car, that is defective or deficientIt was impossible to tell whether it was Mom’s driving or whether we had bought a
lemon.The Glass Castle -
manufacture
organized action of making of goods and services for saleWhile lighter plastic car parts might help cut vehicle emissions and increase the range of electric cars, doesn't their
manufacture bring other environmental risks?BBC (Sep 28, 2017) -
modernize
make repairs, renovations, revisions or adjustments toUber is striving to
modernize an entrenched industry and bring it, however reluctantly, into the digital age.Forbes (Nov 30, 2012) -
prototype
a standard or typical exampleHe added, “Our research vehicle
prototype we think is the most perceptive car in the world.”The Verge (Sep 27, 2017) -
suspension
a mechanical system of springs or shock absorbersBecause Jeeps have a looser
suspension than most cars, their frames absorb every bump in the road.Time (Nov 28, 2016) -
throttle
a valve that regulates the supply of fuel to the engineI hit the
throttle — and then realize I’m out of fuel.The Verge (Aug 11, 2016) -
torque
a twisting forceThere is an unwritten mandate that every time a new car model arrives, it has to have more horsepower and
torque than its predecessor.The Verge (Jul 20, 2016) -
transmission
the gears that transfer power from an automobile engineBuilt for quickness and nothing else, semi-automatic
transmissions were far too jerky and unrefined for the road in the early 1990s.The Verge (Apr 6, 2016) -
vehicle
a conveyance that transports people or objectsElectric
vehicles use rechargeable batteries containing cobalt, a byproduct of copper and nickel output, which boosts energy density and extends battery life.Reuters (Sep 22, 2017) -
velocity
distance traveled per unit time in one directionIt can also reach a top speed of 155 mph, up from the Model S’s peak
velocity of 130 mph.Time (Oct 10, 2014)
Created on September 29, 2017
(updated October 2, 2017)
(updated October 2, 2017)