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Origin and history of engine

engine(n.)

c. 1300, "mechanical device," especially one used in war; "manner of construction," also "skill, craft, innate ability; deceitfulness, trickery," from Old French engin "skill, wit, cleverness," also "trick, deceit, stratagem; war machine" (12c.), from Latin ingenium "innate qualities, ability; inborn character," in Late Latin "a war engine, battering ram" (Tertullian, Isidore of Seville). This is etymologically "that which is inborn," from in- "in" (see in- (2)) + gignere "to beget, produce" (from PIE root *gene- "give birth, beget").

The sense of "device that converts energy to mechanical power" emerged in 18c. In 19c. the word was used especially of steam engines. Middle English also had ingeny (n.) "gadget, apparatus, device," directly from Latin ingenium.

also from c. 1300

Entries linking to engine

engineer(n.)

mid-14c., enginour, "constructor of military engines," from Old French engigneor "engineer, architect, maker of war-engines; schemer" (12c.), from Late Latin ingeniare (see engine).

The general sense of "inventor, designer" is recorded from early 15c.; the non-military sense, in reference to public works, is recorded from c. 1600 but was not the common meaning of the word until 19c (hence lingering distinction as civil engineer). The meaning "locomotive driver" is attested by 1832, American English. A "maker of engines" in ancient Greece was a mekhanopoios.

fire-engine(n.)

1680s, "engine designed to throw a stream of water through a hose onto a fire for the purpose of extinguishing it," from fire (n.) + engine (n.). Also an early name for a steam engine (1722).

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gin
type of distilled drinking alcohol, 1714, shortening of geneva, altered (by influence of the name of the Swiss city, with which it has no connection) from Dutch genever "gin," literally "juniper" (because the alcohol was flavored with its berries), from Old French genevre "the pl
ingenious
early 15c., "intellectual, talented," from Old French ingenios, engeignos "clever, ingenious" (Modern French ingénieux), from Latin ingeniosus "of good natural capacity, full of intellect, clever, gifted with genius," from ingenium "innate qualities, ability; inborn character," l
locomotive
1610s, "pertaining to movement," from French locomotif, from Latin loco "from a place" (ablative of locus "place;" see locus) + Late Latin motivus "moving" (see motive). From 1650s as "moving from place to place;" by 1814 as "having the power of moving by itself. The noun meaning
reciprocating
Reciprocating engine....A form of engine in which the piston and piston-rod move back and forth in a straight line, absolutely relative to the cylinder..., as in oscillating-cylinder engines: in contradistinction to rotary engine....
trebuchet
"medieval stone-throwing engine of war," c. 1300 (in Anglo-Latin from early 13c.), from Old French trebuchet (12c.)..."stone-throwing siege engine," from trabuchier "to overturn, fall to the ground, overthrow" (11c.), from tra- (from Latin...
mangonel
"military engine for hurling stones," mid-13c., from Old French mangonel "catapult, war engine for throwing stones, etc."...
tractor
Sense of "an engine or vehicle for pulling wagons or plows" is recorded by 1896, from earlier traction engine (1859)....
gear
c. 1200, "fighting equipment, armor and weapons," probably from Old Norse gørvi (plural gørvar) "apparel, gear," related to görr, gørr, gerr "skilled, accomplished; ready, willing," and to gøra, gørva "to make, construct, build; set in order, prepare," a very frequent verb in Old
rage
c. 1300, "madness, insanity; fit of frenzy; rashness, foolhardiness, intense or violent emotion, anger, wrath; fierceness in battle; violence" (of storms, fire, etc.), from Old French rage, raige "spirit, passion, rage, fury, madness" (11c.), from Medieval Latin rabia, from Latin
arbalest
type of crossbow, also arbalist, c. 1300, from Old French arbaleste "large crossbow with a crank" (12c., Modern French arbalète), from Vulgar Latin *arbalista, from Late Latin arcuballista "catapult," from Latin arcus "bow" (see arc (n.)) + ballista "machine for throwing projecti

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