time machine: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2Literary, Informal, Technical (physics)
Quick answer
What does “time machine” mean?
A fictional machine that enables travel through time, moving into the past or future.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A fictional machine that enables travel through time, moving into the past or future.
Anything perceived as enabling a vivid, immersive experience of another era, such as historical fiction, museums, or nostalgic media. It can also refer to a hypothetical or conceptual model in physics related to time travel.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical differences; both use the same term. However, the term's origin is British.
Connotations
Strong association with the British author H.G. Wells in both cultures. In American pop culture, additional associations arise from films and TV shows like 'Back to the Future'.
Frequency
Equally frequent in both dialects when discussing science fiction, futurism, or nostalgia.
Grammar
How to Use “time machine” in a Sentence
VERB + time machine (build, invent, use, enter)PREP. in/into/with a time machinetime machine + VERB (transports, whirs, vanishes)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “time machine” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- Not applicable as a verb.
American English
- Not applicable as a verb.
adverb
British English
- Not applicable as an adverb.
American English
- Not applicable as an adverb.
adjective
British English
- Not applicable as an adjective. The attributive use is 'time-machine' (hyphenated), e.g., 'a time-machine narrative'.
- The show had a time-machine quality to it.
American English
- Not applicable as an adjective. The attributive use is 'time-machine' (hyphenated), e.g., 'a time-machine story'.
- The museum was a time-machine experience.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used metaphorically to describe a product or service that evokes nostalgia, e.g., 'This vintage design is like a time machine to the 1960s.'
Academic
Used in literary criticism (Wells studies) and theoretical physics (discussions of closed timelike curves).
Everyday
Used humorously or descriptively for anything old-fashioned or nostalgically evocative, e.g., 'My grandad's car is a time machine.'
Technical
In theoretical physics, a hypothetical construct based on general relativity, often called a 'time machine solution.'
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “time machine”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “time machine”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “time machine”
- Using it as a verb, e.g., 'I want to time machine to 1920.' (Correct: 'I want to use a time machine to go to 1920.')
- Omitting the article: 'He built time machine.' (Correct: 'He built a/the time machine.')
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is a concept from science fiction and theoretical physics. While time travel is debated in physics (e.g., via wormholes), no practical machine exists.
The term was popularised, if not coined, by the British author H.G. Wells in his 1895 novel 'The Time Machine'.
Yes, very commonly. It can describe anything that provides a powerful, immersive feeling of being in another time, such as a well-preserved historical street, a classic film, or a parent's old record collection.
It is a compound noun, where 'time' acts as a noun modifier for 'machine'. It is typically written as two separate words, though hyphenation (time-machine) is sometimes used when it functions as an attributive modifier before another noun.
A fictional machine that enables travel through time, moving into the past or future.
Time machine is usually literary, informal, technical (physics) in register.
Time machine: in British English it is pronounced /ˈtaɪm məˌʃiːn/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈtaɪm məˌʃin/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “A veritable time machine”
- “Turn back the clock (related concept)”
- “A trip in a time machine”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a MACHINE with a giant clock (TIME) on its side. TIME + MACHINE = a device for moving through time.
Conceptual Metaphor
TIME IS A PATH/LOCATION THAT CAN BE TRAVELLED; THE PAST/FUTURE IS A DESTINATION.
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is the most accurate description of a 'time machine' in its original context?