internal-combustion engine


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internal-combustion engine
one cycle of a four-stroke diesel engine
A. intake stroke
B. compression stroke
C. power stroke
D. exhaust stroke

in·ter·nal-com·bus·tion engine

(ĭn-tûr′nəl-kəm-bŭs′chən)
n.
An engine, such as an automotive gasoline piston engine or a diesel, in which fuel is burned within the engine proper rather than in an external furnace, as in a steam engine.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

internal-combustion engine

n
(Automotive Engineering) a heat engine in which heat is supplied by burning the fuel in the working fluid (usually air)
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

inter′nal-combus′tion en`gine


n.
an engine of one or more working cylinders in which the process of combustion takes place within the cylinders.
[1880–85]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
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internal-combustion engine
cycles of a four-stroke diesel engine
A. intake stroke: the piston moves down, drawing air and fuel into the cylinder
B. compression stroke: the piston moves up, compressing and heating the air and fuel mixture
C. power stroke: the hot air and fuel mixture ignites, forcing the piston down
D. exhaust stroke: the piston moves up, forcing the exhaust gases out of the cylinder

in·ter·nal-com·bus·tion engine

(ĭn-tûr′nəl-kəm-bŭs′chən)
An engine whose fuel is burned inside the engine itself rather than in an outside furnace or burner. Gasoline and diesel engines are internal-combustion engines; a steam engine is not.
The American Heritage® Student Science Dictionary, Second Edition. Copyright © 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Noun1.internal-combustion engine - a heat engine in which combustion occurs inside the engine rather than in a separate furnaceinternal-combustion engine - a heat engine in which combustion occurs inside the engine rather than in a separate furnace; heat expands a gas that either moves a piston or turns a gas turbine
diesel engine, diesel motor, diesel - an internal-combustion engine that burns heavy oil
cylinder block, engine block, block - a metal casting containing the cylinders and cooling ducts of an engine; "the engine had to be replaced because the block was cracked"
four-stroke engine, four-stroke internal-combustion engine - an internal-combustion engine in which an explosive mixture is drawn into the cylinder on the first stroke and is compressed and ignited on the second stroke; work is done on the third stroke and the products of combustion are exhausted on the fourth stroke
gas engine - an internal-combustion engine similar to a gasoline engine but using natural gas instead of gasoline vapor
gasoline engine, petrol engine - an internal-combustion engine that burns gasoline; most automobiles are driven by gasoline engines
heat engine - any engine that makes use of heat to do work
force feed, force-feed lubricating system, lubricating system, pressure feed, pressure-feed lubricating system - mechanical system of lubricating internal combustion engines in which a pump forces oil into the engine bearings
motorboat, powerboat - a boat propelled by an internal-combustion engine
automotive vehicle, motor vehicle - a self-propelled wheeled vehicle that does not run on rails
outboard motor, outboard - internal-combustion engine that mounts at stern of small boat
poppet, poppet valve - a mushroom-shaped valve that rises perpendicularly from its seat; commonly used in internal-combustion engines
radial engine, rotary engine - an internal-combustion engine having cylinders arranged radially around a central crankcase
reciprocating engine - an internal-combustion engine in which the crankshaft is turned by pistons moving up and down in cylinders
rotary engine - an internal-combustion engine in which power is transmitted directly to rotating components
self-starter - an electric starting motor that automatically starts an internal-combustion engine
supercharger - compressor that forces increased oxygen into the cylinders of an internal-combustion engine
valve-in-head engine - internal-combustion engine having both inlet and exhaust valves located in the cylinder head
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
Translations

internal-combustion engine

[ɪnˌtɜːnlkəmˈbʌstʃnˌɛndʒɪn] nmotore m a combustione interna or a scoppio
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
References in periodicals archive ?
The vans use both a traditional gasoline-powered internal-combustion engine and a battery-powered electric motor.
Scuderi says its design is able to achieve compression cylinder pressures equal to that of a conventional internal-combustion engine during the combustion cycle, thus creating large amounts of turbulence for improved atomization of the fuel/air mix.
Hybrid vehicles have drive trains powered by both an internal-combustion engine and a rechargeable battery.
The fuel cell, which chemically converts hydrogen to electricity (with water as a byproduct), has the potential to eventually replace the internal-combustion engine, because its far more than just the best environmental choice.
The internal-combustion engine was synonymous with the automobile throughout the 20th century.
government needs to seek alternatives to the internal-combustion engine and push Detroit automakers to produce zero-emission electric cars.
Gasoline automobiles (and the internal-combustion engine which burns gasoline) took over the auto industry for three primary reasons: (1) in 1901, vast oil reserves were discovered in Texas; (2) in 1912, a viable electric starter for gasoline engines was introduced; and (3) Henry Ford decided to mass-produce gasoline-burning cars.
The coming of the internal-combustion engine, especially the Otto four-stroke engine (see 1876), offered a much better hope.
Ironically, this contribution to the development of the internal-combustion engine became an environmental boomerang.
The fuel cell has the potential to eventually replace the internal-combustion engine, because it's far more than just the best environmental choice.
(The fuel would have to be a gas to begin with, or an easily evaporated liquid.) If such an internal-combustion engine were developed, it would be much smaller than a steam engine and so much more readily set into motion.