machinery
B1Neutral; common in technical, business, industrial, and general contexts.
Definition
Meaning
Machines collectively, or the components within a machine; the working parts of a system.
The means or system by which a particular result is achieved or an institution functions (e.g., the machinery of government).
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily an uncountable noun referring to machines as a group or a system. Can be concrete (physical machines) or abstract (system of processes).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in core meaning or usage. Slight preference in British English for the abstract 'machinery of government' metaphor.
Connotations
Industrial, systematic, efficient, sometimes impersonal or complex.
Frequency
Equally common in both varieties.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
the machinery of [NOUN]machinery for [VERB+ING]machinery to [VERB]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “cogs in the machinery”
- “the machinery grinds to a halt”
- “well-oiled machinery”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Investment in new machinery is essential for increasing productivity.
Academic
The study examines the social machinery behind policy implementation.
Everyday
They had to move a lot of heavy machinery into the new factory.
Technical
Regular lubrication is critical for the longevity of precision machinery.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The factory uses big machinery.
- Modern farm machinery has made harvesting much faster.
- The company invested millions in upgrading its manufacturing machinery.
- The complex machinery of international diplomacy often moves slowly.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a machine + ry (as a collection, like 'jewellery' or 'scenery'). It's the 'ry' of machines.
Conceptual Metaphor
ORGANIZATIONS/SYSTEMS ARE MACHINES (e.g., 'the machinery of justice', 'bureaucratic machinery').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'механизм' (mechanism) for a single device. 'Machinery' is usually collective. The abstract use ('machinery of state') is similar to 'аппарат'.
Common Mistakes
- Using as a countable noun (e.g., 'three machineries'). Treating it as synonymous with a single 'machine'.
Practice
Quiz
Which sentence uses 'machinery' correctly?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is almost always uncountable. You refer to 'some machinery', 'a lot of machinery', or 'the machinery'. The plural 'machineries' is extremely rare and non-standard.
'A machine' is a single device. 'Machinery' refers to machines as a group, a collection, or the working parts of a system.
Yes, in a metaphorical sense, e.g., 'the machinery of the law' or 'the bureaucratic machinery', meaning the complex system or processes involved.
Heavy, industrial, agricultural, modern, old, complex, expensive, dangerous, precision.