wheel

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English [edit]

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Etymology [edit]

From Middle English whele, from Old English hwēoġol, hwēol, from Proto-Germanic *hwehwlą (compare West Frisian tsjil, Dutch wiel, Danish hjul), from Proto-Indo-European *kʷekʷlóm, *kʷékʷlos (cf. Tocharian B kokale (cart, wagon), Ancient Greek κύκλος (kuklos, cycle, wheel), Avestan  (čaxrō), Sanskrit चक्र (cakrá)), reduplication of *kʷel- (to turn) (compare Welsh dymchwel (to overturn, upset), Latin colere (to till, cultivate), Tocharian A and B käl (to bear; bring), Ancient Greek (Aeolic)  (pélesthai, to be in motion), Old Church Slavonic коло (kolo, wheel), Albanian sjell (to bring, carry, turn around), Avestan  (čaraiti, it circulates), Sanskrit  (cárati, it moves, wanders)).

Pronunciation [edit]

Noun [edit]

A wheel on a 1991 Cadillac Fleetwood d'Elegance
Painting of wheel (instrument of torture)
Wheels of cheese (gouda)

wheel (plural wheels)

  1. A circular device capable of rotating on its axis, facilitating movement or transportation or performing labour in machines.
  2. A wheel-like device used as an instrument of torture or punishment.
  3. (informal, with "the") A steering wheel and its implied control of a vehicle.
  4. (nautical) The instrument attached to the rudder by which a vessel is steered.
  5. (slang) A person with a great deal of power or influence; a big wheel.
  6. (poker slang) The lowest straight in poker: ace, 2, 3, 4, 5.
  7. (automotive) wheel rim
  8. a round portion of cheese

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Verb [edit]

wheel (third-person singular simple present wheels, present participle wheeling, simple past and past participle wheeled)

  1. (intransitive or transitive) To roll along as on wheels.
    Wheel that trolley over here, would you?
  2. (intransitive) To travel around in large circles, particularly in the air.
    The vulture wheeled above us.
  3. (transitive) To transport something or someone using any wheeled mechanism, such as a wheelchair.

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