wheel

wheel (hw

l, w

1. A solid disk or a rigid circular ring connected by spokes to a hub, designed to turn around an axle passed through the center.

2. Something resembling such a disk or ring in appearance or movement or having a wheel as its principal part or characteristic, as:

a. The steering device on a vehicle.

b. A potter's wheel.

c. A water wheel.

d. A spinning wheel.

e. Games A device used in roulette and other games of chance.

f. A firework that rotates while burning.

g. Informal A bicycle.

h. An instrument to which a victim was bound for torture during the Middle Ages.

3. wheels Forces that provide energy, movement, or direction: the wheels of commerce.

4. The act or process of turning; revolution or rotation.

5. A military maneuver executed in order to change the direction of movement of a formation, as of troops or ships, in which the formation is maintained while the outer unit describes an arc and the inner or center unit remains stationary as a pivot.

6. wheels Slang A motor vehicle or access thereto: Do you have wheels tonight?

7. Slang A person with a great deal of power or influence: a wheel in state government.

v. wheeled, wheel·ing, wheels

v.tr.

1. To roll, move, or transport on wheels or a wheel.

2. To cause to turn around or as if around a central axis; revolve or rotate.

3. To provide with wheels or a wheel.

v.intr.

1. To turn around or as if around a central axis; revolve or rotate.

2. To roll or move on or as if on wheels or a wheel.

3. To fly in a curving or circular course: A flock of gulls wheeled just above the dock.

4. To turn or whirl around in place; pivot: "The boy wheeled and the fried eggs leaped from his tray" Ivan Gold.

5. To reverse one's opinion or practice: Don't be surprised if the boss wheels about on that idea.

Idioms:

at/behind the wheel

1. Operating the steering mechanism of a vehicle; driving.

2. Directing or controlling; in charge.

wheel and deal Informal

To engage in the advancement of one's own interests, especially in a canny, aggressive, or unscrupulous way.

[Middle English, from Old English hwol; see k^wel-¹ in Indo-European roots.]

wheel

Noun

1. a circular object mounted on a shaft around which it can turn, fixed under vehicles to enable them to move

2. anything like a wheel in shape or function: the steering wheel, a spinning wheel

3. something that is repeated in cycles: the wheel of fashion would turn, and the clothes would be back in style

4. at or behind the wheel driving a vehicle

Verb

1. to push (a bicycle, wheelchair, or pram) along

2. to turn in a circle

3. wheel and deal to operate shrewdly and sometimes unscrupulously in order to advance one's own interests

4. wheel round to change direction or turn round suddenly

See also wheels [Old English hwēol, hweowol]

ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms

Noun	1.	wheel - a simple machine consisting of a circular frame with spokes (or a solid disc) that can rotate on a shaft or axle (as in vehicles or other machines) balance wheel, balance - a wheel that regulates the rate of movement in a machine; especially a wheel oscillating against the hairspring of a timepiece to regulate its beat bicycle wheel - the wheel of a bicycle buffing wheel - a wheel that is covered with soft material cartwheel - a wheel that has wooden spokes and a metal rim car wheel - a wheel that has a tire and rim and hubcap; used to propel the car daisy print wheel, daisy wheel - a wheel around which is a set of print characters that make a typing impression on paper driving wheel - a wheel that drives a motor vehicle (transforms torque into a tractive force) felloe, felly - rim (or part of the rim) into which spokes are inserted cogwheel, gear, gear wheel, geared wheel - a toothed wheel that engages another toothed mechanism in order to change the speed or direction of transmitted motion emery wheel, grinding wheel - a wheel composed of abrasive material; used for grinding handwheel - a wheel worked by hand simple machine, machine - a device for overcoming resistance at one point by applying force at some other point nosewheel - a wheel located under the nose of an airplane that is part of the plane's landing gear paddle wheel, paddlewheel - a large wheel fitted with paddles and driven by an engine in order to propel a boat pinwheel - a wheel that has numerous pins that are set at right angles to its rim; "he spun the pinwheel and it stopped with the pointer on `Go'" potter's wheel - a horizontal rotating wheel holding the clay being shaped by a potter; "the potter's wheel was invented in Asia Minor around 6500 BC" ratchet wheel - toothed wheel held in place by a pawl or detent and turned by a lever rim - the outer part of a wheel to which the tire is attached roller - a small wheel without spokes (as on a roller skate) toothed wheel, roulette - a wheel with teeth for making a row of perforations rowel - a small spiked wheel at the end of a spur sprocket wheel, sprocket - thin wheel with teeth that engage with a chain trundle - small wheel or roller wagon wheel - a wheel of a wagon water wheel, waterwheel - a wheel that rotates by direct action of water; a simple turbine water wheel, waterwheel - a wheel with buckets attached to its rim; raises water from a stream or pond wheeled vehicle - a vehicle that moves on wheels and usually has a container for transporting things or people; "the oldest known wheeled vehicles were found in Sumer and Syria and date from around 3500 BC"
	2.	wheel - a handwheel that is used for steering steering wheel handwheel - control consisting of a wheel whose rim serves as the handle by which a part is operated steering mechanism, steering system - a mechanism by which something is steered (especially a motor vehicle)
	3.	wheel - forces that provide energy and direction; "the wheels of government began to turn" force - a powerful effect or influence; "the force of his eloquence easily persuaded them"
	4.	wheel - a circular helm to control the rudder of a vessel helm - steering mechanism for a vessel; a mechanical device by which a vessel is steered
	5.	wheel - game equipment consisting of a wheel with slots that is used for gambling; the wheel rotates horizontally and players bet on which slot the roulette ball will stop in roulette wheel game equipment - equipment or apparatus used in playing a game
	6.	wheel - an instrument of torture that stretches or disjoints or mutilates victims rack instrument of torture - an instrument of punishment designed and used to inflict torture on the condemned person
	7.	wheel - a wheeled vehicle that has two wheels and is moved by foot pedals bicycle, bike, cycle bicycle-built-for-two, tandem bicycle, tandem - a bicycle with two sets of pedals and two seats bicycle seat, saddle - a seat for the rider of a bicycle bicycle wheel - the wheel of a bicycle chain - a series of (usually metal) rings or links fitted into one another to make a flexible ligament coaster brake - a brake on a bicycle that engages with reverse pressure on the pedals handlebar - the shaped bar used to steer a bicycle kickstand - a swiveling metal rod attached to a bicycle or motorcycle or other two-wheeled vehicle; the rod lies horizontally when not in use but can be kicked into a vertical position as a support to hold the vehicle upright when it is not being ridden all-terrain bike, mountain bike, off-roader - a bicycle with a sturdy frame and fat tires; originally designed for riding in mountainous country mudguard, splash guard, splash-guard - a curved piece above the wheel of a bicycle or motorcycle to protect the rider from water or mud thrown up by the wheels ordinary bicycle, ordinary - an early bicycle with a very large front wheel and small back wheel foot lever, foot pedal, treadle, pedal - a lever that is operated with the foot push-bike - a bicycle that must be pedaled safety bicycle, safety bike - bicycle that has two wheels of equal size; pedals are connected to the rear wheel by a multiplying gear sprocket wheel, sprocket - thin wheel with teeth that engage with a chain velocipede - any of several early bicycles with pedals on the front wheel wheeled vehicle - a vehicle that moves on wheels and usually has a container for transporting things or people; "the oldest known wheeled vehicles were found in Sumer and Syria and date from around 3500 BC"
Verb	1.	wheel - change directions as if revolving on a pivot; "They wheeled their horses around and left" wheel around revolve, rotate, go around - turn on or around an axis or a center; "The Earth revolves around the Sun"; "The lamb roast rotates on a spit over the fire" cartwheel - do cartwheels: perform an acrobatic movement using both hands and feet
	2.	wheel - wheel somebody or something wheel around transport - move something or somebody around; usually over long distances
	3.	wheel - move along on or as if on wheels or a wheeled vehicle; "The President's convoy rolled past the crowds" roll go, locomote, move, travel - change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically; "How fast does your new car go?"; "We travelled from Rome to Naples by bus"; "The policemen went from door to door looking for the suspect"; "The soldiers moved towards the city in an attempt to take it before night fell"; "news travelled fast" bowl - roll (a ball) troll - cause to move round and round; "The child trolled her hoop"
	4.	wheel - ride a bicycle bicycle, bike, pedal, cycle unicycle - ride a unicycle backpedal - pedal backwards on a bicycle ride - be carried or travel on or in a vehicle; "I ride to work in a bus"; "He rides the subway downtown every day"