any kind of machine that changes energy (from petrol, electricity etc) into motion
device that drives a machine
Cases of word usage
1) (usually pl) an apparatus for reducing the effect of a collision e.g. on a railway engine (buffer)
2) (to make) the short explosive sound of an oil-engine or small petrol engine running slowly (chug)
3) a person who distributes things; a part of a car engine that sends electricity to the sparking plugs (distributor)
4) (a pipe in an engine or machine for) gas, steam, vapour etc that is no longer wanted (exhaust)
5) a tube wide at the top and narrow at the bottom, used for pouring liquids or powders through small openings; a tall outlet for smoke on a ship, railway engine etc (funnel)
6) a set of toothed wheels working together in a machine, e.g. to connect the engine of a vehicle with the road wheels (gear)
7) a person who governs a province or (in US) a State; an apparatus that regulates the speed of ship's engine revolutions (governor)
8) the state of igniting or being ignited; (in a car) an electrical mechanism used to make the petrol in an engine explode (ignition)
9) a kind of boat with an engine (used on rivers and lakes and in harbours); an act of launching a ship or spacecraft (launch)
10) of, having, causing, locomotion; a railway engine (locomotive)