WHEEL

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does wheel mean? 

• WHEEL (noun)
  The noun WHEEL has 7 senses:

1. a simple machine consisting of a circular frame with spokes (or a solid disc) that can rotate on a shaft or axle (as in vehicles or other machines)

2. a handwheel that is used for steering

3. forces that provide energy and direction

4. a circular helm to control the rudder of a vessel

5. game equipment consisting of a wheel with slots that is used for gambling; the wheel rotates horizontally and players bet on which slot the roulette ball will stop in

6. an instrument of torture that stretches or disjoints or mutilates victims

7. a wheeled vehicle that has two wheels and is moved by foot pedals

  Familiarity information: WHEEL used as a noun is common.

• WHEEL (verb)
  The verb WHEEL has 4 senses:

1. change directions as if revolving on a pivot

2. wheel somebody or something

3. move along on or as if on wheels or a wheeled vehicle

4. ride a bicycle

  Familiarity information: WHEEL used as a verb is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• WHEEL (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A simple machine consisting of a circular frame with spokes (or a solid disc) that can rotate on a shaft or axle (as in vehicles or other machines)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("wheel" is a kind of...):

machine; simple machine (a device for overcoming resistance at one point by applying force at some other point)

Meronyms (parts of "wheel"):

felloe; felly (rim (or part of the rim) into which spokes are inserted)

rim (the outer part of a wheel to which the tire is attached)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "wheel"):

water wheel; waterwheel (a wheel with buckets attached to its rim; raises water from a stream or pond)

water wheel; waterwheel (a wheel that rotates by direct action of water; a simple turbine)

wagon wheel (a wheel of a wagon)

trundle (small wheel or roller)

sprocket; sprocket wheel (thin wheel with teeth that engage with a chain)

rowel (a small spiked wheel at the end of a spur)

roulette; toothed wheel (a wheel with teeth for making a row of perforations)

roller (a small wheel without spokes (as on a roller skate))

ratchet wheel (toothed wheel held in place by a pawl or detent and turned by a lever)

potter's wheel (a horizontal rotating wheel holding the clay being shaped by a potter)

pinwheel (a wheel that has numerous pins that are set at right angles to its rim)

paddle wheel; paddlewheel (a large wheel fitted with paddles and driven by an engine in order to propel a boat)

handwheel (a wheel worked by hand)

balance; balance wheel (a wheel that regulates the rate of movement in a machine; especially a wheel oscillating against the hairspring of a timepiece to regulate its beat)

bicycle wheel (the wheel of a bicycle)

buffing wheel (a wheel that is covered with soft material)

cartwheel (a wheel that has wooden spokes and a metal rim)

car wheel (a wheel that has a tire and rim and hubcap; used to propel the car)

daisy print wheel; daisy wheel (a wheel around which is a set of print characters that make a typing impression on paper)

driving wheel (a wheel that drives a motor vehicle (transforms torque into a tractive force))

cogwheel; gear; gear wheel; geared wheel (a toothed wheel that engages another toothed mechanism in order to change the speed or direction of transmitted motion)

emery wheel; grinding wheel (a wheel composed of abrasive material; used for grinding)

nosewheel (a wheel located under the nose of an airplane that is part of the plane's landing gear)

Holonyms ("wheel" is a part of...):

wheeled vehicle (a vehicle that moves on wheels and usually has a container for transporting things or people)

Derivation:

wheel (move along on or as if on wheels or a wheeled vehicle)

wheel (ride a bicycle)

wheel (wheel somebody or something)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A handwheel that is used for steering

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

steering wheel; wheel

Hypernyms ("wheel" is a kind of...):

handwheel (control consisting of a wheel whose rim serves as the handle by which a part is operated)

Holonyms ("wheel" is a part of...):

steering mechanism; steering system (a mechanism by which something is steered (especially a motor vehicle))

Sense 3

Meaning:

Forces that provide energy and direction

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Context example:

the wheels of government began to turn

Hypernyms ("wheel" is a kind of...):

force (a powerful effect or influence)

Sense 4

Meaning:

A circular helm to control the rudder of a vessel

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("wheel" is a kind of...):

helm (steering mechanism for a vessel; a mechanical device by which a vessel is steered)

Sense 5

Meaning:

Game equipment consisting of a wheel with slots that is used for gambling; the wheel rotates horizontally and players bet on which slot the roulette ball will stop in

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

roulette wheel; wheel

Hypernyms ("wheel" is a kind of...):

game equipment (equipment or apparatus used in playing a game)

Sense 6

Meaning:

An instrument of torture that stretches or disjoints or mutilates victims

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

rack; wheel

Hypernyms ("wheel" is a kind of...):

instrument of torture (an instrument of punishment designed and used to inflict torture on the condemned person)

Sense 7

Meaning:

A wheeled vehicle that has two wheels and is moved by foot pedals

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

bicycle; bike; cycle; wheel

Hypernyms ("wheel" is a kind of...):

wheeled vehicle (a vehicle that moves on wheels and usually has a container for transporting things or people)

Meronyms (parts of "wheel"):

mudguard; splash-guard; splash guard (a curved piece above the wheel of a bicycle or motorcycle to protect the rider from water or mud thrown up by the wheels)

sprocket; sprocket wheel (thin wheel with teeth that engage with a chain)

foot lever; foot pedal; pedal; treadle (a lever that is operated with the foot)

kickstand (a swiveling metal rod attached to a bicycle or motorcycle or other two-wheeled vehicle; the rod lies horizontally when not in use but can be kicked into a vertical position as a support to hold the vehicle upright when it is not being ridden)

handlebar (the shaped bar used to steer a bicycle)

coaster brake (a brake on a bicycle that engages with reverse pressure on the pedals)

chain (a series of (usually metal) rings or links fitted into one another to make a flexible ligament)

bicycle wheel (the wheel of a bicycle)

bicycle seat; saddle (a seat for the rider of a bicycle)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "wheel"):

all-terrain bike; mountain bike; off-roader (a bicycle with a sturdy frame and fat tires; originally designed for riding in mountainous country)

bicycle-built-for-two; tandem; tandem bicycle (a bicycle with two sets of pedals and two seats)

velocipede (any of several early bicycles with pedals on the front wheel)

safety bicycle; safety bike (bicycle that has two wheels of equal size; pedals are connected to the rear wheel by a multiplying gear)

push-bike (a bicycle that must be pedaled)

ordinary; ordinary bicycle (an early bicycle with a very large front wheel and small back wheel)

• WHEEL (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they wheel    ... he / she / it wheels   
Past simple: wheeled   
Past participle: wheeled   
-ing form: wheeling   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Change directions as if revolving on a pivot

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Synonyms:

wheel; wheel around

Context example:

They wheeled their horses around and left

Hypernyms (to "wheel" is one way to...):

go around; revolve; rotate (turn on or around an axis or a center)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "wheel"):

cartwheel (do cartwheels: perform an acrobatic movement using both hands and feet)

Sentence frames:

Something is ----ing PP
Somebody ----s PP

Derivation:

wheeler (the man at the outermost end of the rank in wheeling)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Wheel somebody or something

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Synonyms:

wheel; wheel around

Hypernyms (to "wheel" is one way to...):

transport (move something or somebody around; usually over long distances)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s somebody PP
Somebody ----s something PP

Derivation:

wheel (a simple machine consisting of a circular frame with spokes (or a solid disc) that can rotate on a shaft or axle (as in vehicles or other machines))

Sense 3

Meaning:

Move along on or as if on wheels or a wheeled vehicle

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Synonyms:

roll; wheel

Context example:

The President's convoy rolled past the crowds

Hypernyms (to "wheel" is one way to...):

go; locomote; move; travel (change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "wheel"):

bowl (roll (a ball))

troll (cause to move round and round)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s
Something is ----ing PP
Somebody ----s PP

Derivation:

wheel (a simple machine consisting of a circular frame with spokes (or a solid disc) that can rotate on a shaft or axle (as in vehicles or other machines))

wheeling (propelling something on wheels)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Ride a bicycle

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Synonyms:

bicycle; bike; cycle; pedal; wheel

Hypernyms (to "wheel" is one way to...):

ride (be carried or travel on or in a vehicle)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "wheel"):

unicycle (ride a unicycle)

backpedal (pedal backwards on a bicycle)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s PP

Derivation:

wheel (a simple machine consisting of a circular frame with spokes (or a solid disc) that can rotate on a shaft or axle (as in vehicles or other machines))

wheeler (a person who rides a bicycle)

 Context examples 

It is something which makes your body move, as the spring made the wheels go in my watch when I showed it to you.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

“Master Copperfield's box there!” said Miss Murdstone, when wheels were heard at the gate.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

He was standing by his wheel, ready to start.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

We did a Catharine-wheel together down the passage.

(The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Think of the sport that it was to me to sit through the long hours, listening for the wheels of the chaise which would bring my man back to me.

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Low wheel activity (11/12 males10/12 females) (Harrington 1971b).

(IR, Rat Strain, NCI Thesaurus)

Ay, I must put my shoulders to the wheel—if Jekyll will but let me, he added, if Jekyll will only let me.

(The Strange Case Of Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

The plunge of our anchor sent up clouds of birds wheeling and crying over the woods, but in less than a minute they were down again and all was once more silent.

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

There are the wheels, Watson. Quick, man, if you love me!

(His Last Bow, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Of what materials was I made that I could thus resist so many shocks, which, like the turning of the wheel, continually renewed the torture?

(Frankenstein, by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley)