Definitions for wheel
ʰwil, wilwheel

Princeton's WordNet(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. wheelnoun

   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)

2. steering wheel, wheelnoun

   a handwheel that is used for steering

3. wheelnoun

   forces that provide energy and direction

   "the wheels of government began to turn"

4. wheelnoun

   a circular helm to control the rudder of a vessel

5. roulette wheel, wheelnoun

   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

6. rack, wheelnoun

   an instrument of torture that stretches or disjoints or mutilates victims

7. bicycle, bike, wheel, cycleverb

   a wheeled vehicle that has two wheels and is moved by foot pedals

8. wheel, wheel aroundverb

   change directions as if revolving on a pivot

   "They wheeled their horses around and left"

9. wheel, wheel aroundverb

   wheel somebody or something

10. wheel, rollverb

    move along on or as if on wheels or a wheeled vehicle

    "The President's convoy rolled past the crowds"

11. bicycle, cycle, bike, pedal, wheelverb

    ride a bicycle

Wiktionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. wheelnoun

   A circular device capable of rotating on its axis, facilitating movement or transportation or performing labour in machines.

   Etymology: whele, from hweogol, hweol, from hwehwlan (cf. West Frisian tsjil, Dutch wiel, Danish hjul), from kʷekʷlóm (cf. Tocharian B kokale 'cart, wagon', Ancient Greek κύκλος 'cycle, wheel', Avestan , Sanskrit ), reduplication of *kʷel 'to turn' (cf. Welsh dymdymchwel 'to overturn, upset', Latin colere 'to till, cultivate', Tocharian AB 'to bear; bring', Ancient Greek (Aeolic) pélesthai 'to be in motion', коло 'wheel', Albanian sjell 'to turn around', Avestan 'it circulates', Sanskrit 'it moves, wanders').

2. wheelnoun

   A wheel-like device used as an instrument of torture or punishment.

   Etymology: whele, from hweogol, hweol, from hwehwlan (cf. West Frisian tsjil, Dutch wiel, Danish hjul), from kʷekʷlóm (cf. Tocharian B kokale 'cart, wagon', Ancient Greek κύκλος 'cycle, wheel', Avestan , Sanskrit ), reduplication of *kʷel 'to turn' (cf. Welsh dymdymchwel 'to overturn, upset', Latin colere 'to till, cultivate', Tocharian AB 'to bear; bring', Ancient Greek (Aeolic) pélesthai 'to be in motion', коло 'wheel', Albanian sjell 'to turn around', Avestan 'it circulates', Sanskrit 'it moves, wanders').

3. wheelnoun

   A steering wheel and its implied control of a vehicle.

   Etymology: whele, from hweogol, hweol, from hwehwlan (cf. West Frisian tsjil, Dutch wiel, Danish hjul), from kʷekʷlóm (cf. Tocharian B kokale 'cart, wagon', Ancient Greek κύκλος 'cycle, wheel', Avestan , Sanskrit ), reduplication of *kʷel 'to turn' (cf. Welsh dymdymchwel 'to overturn, upset', Latin colere 'to till, cultivate', Tocharian AB 'to bear; bring', Ancient Greek (Aeolic) pélesthai 'to be in motion', коло 'wheel', Albanian sjell 'to turn around', Avestan 'it circulates', Sanskrit 'it moves, wanders').

4. wheelnoun

   The instrument attached to the rudder by which a vessel is steered.

   Etymology: whele, from hweogol, hweol, from hwehwlan (cf. West Frisian tsjil, Dutch wiel, Danish hjul), from kʷekʷlóm (cf. Tocharian B kokale 'cart, wagon', Ancient Greek κύκλος 'cycle, wheel', Avestan , Sanskrit ), reduplication of *kʷel 'to turn' (cf. Welsh dymdymchwel 'to overturn, upset', Latin colere 'to till, cultivate', Tocharian AB 'to bear; bring', Ancient Greek (Aeolic) pélesthai 'to be in motion', коло 'wheel', Albanian sjell 'to turn around', Avestan 'it circulates', Sanskrit 'it moves, wanders').

5. wheelnoun

   A person with a great deal of power or influence; a big wheel.

   Etymology: whele, from hweogol, hweol, from hwehwlan (cf. West Frisian tsjil, Dutch wiel, Danish hjul), from kʷekʷlóm (cf. Tocharian B kokale 'cart, wagon', Ancient Greek κύκλος 'cycle, wheel', Avestan , Sanskrit ), reduplication of *kʷel 'to turn' (cf. Welsh dymdymchwel 'to overturn, upset', Latin colere 'to till, cultivate', Tocharian AB 'to bear; bring', Ancient Greek (Aeolic) pélesthai 'to be in motion', коло 'wheel', Albanian sjell 'to turn around', Avestan 'it circulates', Sanskrit 'it moves, wanders').

6. wheelnoun

   The lowest straight in poker: ace, 2, 3, 4, 5.

   Etymology: whele, from hweogol, hweol, from hwehwlan (cf. West Frisian tsjil, Dutch wiel, Danish hjul), from kʷekʷlóm (cf. Tocharian B kokale 'cart, wagon', Ancient Greek κύκλος 'cycle, wheel', Avestan , Sanskrit ), reduplication of *kʷel 'to turn' (cf. Welsh dymdymchwel 'to overturn, upset', Latin colere 'to till, cultivate', Tocharian AB 'to bear; bring', Ancient Greek (Aeolic) pélesthai 'to be in motion', коло 'wheel', Albanian sjell 'to turn around', Avestan 'it circulates', Sanskrit 'it moves, wanders').

7. wheelnoun

   wheel rim

   Etymology: whele, from hweogol, hweol, from hwehwlan (cf. West Frisian tsjil, Dutch wiel, Danish hjul), from kʷekʷlóm (cf. Tocharian B kokale 'cart, wagon', Ancient Greek κύκλος 'cycle, wheel', Avestan , Sanskrit ), reduplication of *kʷel 'to turn' (cf. Welsh dymdymchwel 'to overturn, upset', Latin colere 'to till, cultivate', Tocharian AB 'to bear; bring', Ancient Greek (Aeolic) pélesthai 'to be in motion', коло 'wheel', Albanian sjell 'to turn around', Avestan 'it circulates', Sanskrit 'it moves, wanders').

8. wheelverb

   To roll along as on wheels.

   Wheel that trolley over here, would you?

   Etymology: whele, from hweogol, hweol, from hwehwlan (cf. West Frisian tsjil, Dutch wiel, Danish hjul), from kʷekʷlóm (cf. Tocharian B kokale 'cart, wagon', Ancient Greek κύκλος 'cycle, wheel', Avestan , Sanskrit ), reduplication of *kʷel 'to turn' (cf. Welsh dymdymchwel 'to overturn, upset', Latin colere 'to till, cultivate', Tocharian AB 'to bear; bring', Ancient Greek (Aeolic) pélesthai 'to be in motion', коло 'wheel', Albanian sjell 'to turn around', Avestan 'it circulates', Sanskrit 'it moves, wanders').

9. wheelverb

   To travel around in large circles, particularly in the air.

   The vulture wheeled above us.

   Etymology: whele, from hweogol, hweol, from hwehwlan (cf. West Frisian tsjil, Dutch wiel, Danish hjul), from kʷekʷlóm (cf. Tocharian B kokale 'cart, wagon', Ancient Greek κύκλος 'cycle, wheel', Avestan , Sanskrit ), reduplication of *kʷel 'to turn' (cf. Welsh dymdymchwel 'to overturn, upset', Latin colere 'to till, cultivate', Tocharian AB 'to bear; bring', Ancient Greek (Aeolic) pélesthai 'to be in motion', коло 'wheel', Albanian sjell 'to turn around', Avestan 'it circulates', Sanskrit 'it moves, wanders').

10. wheelverb

    To transport something or someone using any wheeled mechanism, such as a wheelchair.

    Etymology: whele, from hweogol, hweol, from hwehwlan (cf. West Frisian tsjil, Dutch wiel, Danish hjul), from kʷekʷlóm (cf. Tocharian B kokale 'cart, wagon', Ancient Greek κύκλος 'cycle, wheel', Avestan , Sanskrit ), reduplication of *kʷel 'to turn' (cf. Welsh dymdymchwel 'to overturn, upset', Latin colere 'to till, cultivate', Tocharian AB 'to bear; bring', Ancient Greek (Aeolic) pélesthai 'to be in motion', коло 'wheel', Albanian sjell 'to turn around', Avestan 'it circulates', Sanskrit 'it moves, wanders').

Wikipedia(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Wheel

   In its primitive form, a wheel is a circular block of a hard and durable material at whose center has been bored a hole through which is placed an axle bearing about which the wheel rotates when torque is applied to the wheel about its axis. The wheel and axle assembly can be considered one of the six simple machines. When placed vertically under a load-bearing platform or case, the wheel turning on the horizontal axle makes it possible to transport heavy loads. This arrangement is the main topic of this article, but there are many other applications of a wheel addressed in the corresponding articles: when placed horizontally, the wheel turning on its vertical axle provides the spinning motion used to shape materials (e.g. a potter's wheel); when mounted on a column connected to a rudder or to the steering mechanism of a wheeled vehicle, it can be used to control the direction of a vessel or vehicle (e.g. a ship's wheel or steering wheel); when connected to a crank or engine, a wheel can store, release, or transmit energy (e.g. the flywheel). A wheel and axle with force applied to create torque at one radius can translate this to a different force at a different radius, also with a different linear velocity.

Webster Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Wheelnoun

   a circular frame turning about an axis; a rotating disk, whether solid, or a frame composed of an outer rim, spokes or radii, and a central hub or nave, in which is inserted the axle, -- used for supporting and conveying vehicles, in machinery, and for various purposes; as, the wheel of a wagon, of a locomotive, of a mill, of a watch, etc

   Etymology: [OE. wheel, hweol, AS. hwel, hweogul, hweowol; akin to D. wiel, Icel. hvl, Gr. ky`klos, Skr. cakra; cf. Icel. hjl, Dan. hiul, Sw. hjul. 218. Cf. Cycle, Cyclopedia.]

2. Wheelnoun

   any instrument having the form of, or chiefly consisting of, a wheel

   Etymology: [OE. wheel, hweol, AS. hwel, hweogul, hweowol; akin to D. wiel, Icel. hvl, Gr. ky`klos, Skr. cakra; cf. Icel. hjl, Dan. hiul, Sw. hjul. 218. Cf. Cycle, Cyclopedia.]

3. Wheelnoun

   a spinning wheel. See under Spinning

   Etymology: [OE. wheel, hweol, AS. hwel, hweogul, hweowol; akin to D. wiel, Icel. hvl, Gr. ky`klos, Skr. cakra; cf. Icel. hjl, Dan. hiul, Sw. hjul. 218. Cf. Cycle, Cyclopedia.]

4. Wheelnoun

   an instrument of torture formerly used

   Etymology: [OE. wheel, hweol, AS. hwel, hweogul, hweowol; akin to D. wiel, Icel. hvl, Gr. ky`klos, Skr. cakra; cf. Icel. hjl, Dan. hiul, Sw. hjul. 218. Cf. Cycle, Cyclopedia.]

5. Wheelnoun

   a circular frame having handles on the periphery, and an axle which is so connected with the tiller as to form a means of controlling the rudder for the purpose of steering

   Etymology: [OE. wheel, hweol, AS. hwel, hweogul, hweowol; akin to D. wiel, Icel. hvl, Gr. ky`klos, Skr. cakra; cf. Icel. hjl, Dan. hiul, Sw. hjul. 218. Cf. Cycle, Cyclopedia.]

6. Wheelnoun

   a potter's wheel. See under Potter

   Etymology: [OE. wheel, hweol, AS. hwel, hweogul, hweowol; akin to D. wiel, Icel. hvl, Gr. ky`klos, Skr. cakra; cf. Icel. hjl, Dan. hiul, Sw. hjul. 218. Cf. Cycle, Cyclopedia.]

7. Wheelnoun

   a firework which, while burning, is caused to revolve on an axis by the reaction of the escaping gases

   Etymology: [OE. wheel, hweol, AS. hwel, hweogul, hweowol; akin to D. wiel, Icel. hvl, Gr. ky`klos, Skr. cakra; cf. Icel. hjl, Dan. hiul, Sw. hjul. 218. Cf. Cycle, Cyclopedia.]

8. Wheelnoun

   the burden or refrain of a song

   Etymology: [OE. wheel, hweol, AS. hwel, hweogul, hweowol; akin to D. wiel, Icel. hvl, Gr. ky`klos, Skr. cakra; cf. Icel. hjl, Dan. hiul, Sw. hjul. 218. Cf. Cycle, Cyclopedia.]

9. Wheelnoun

   a bicycle or a tricycle; a velocipede

   Etymology: [OE. wheel, hweol, AS. hwel, hweogul, hweowol; akin to D. wiel, Icel. hvl, Gr. ky`klos, Skr. cakra; cf. Icel. hjl, Dan. hiul, Sw. hjul. 218. Cf. Cycle, Cyclopedia.]

10. Wheelnoun

    a rolling or revolving body; anything of a circular form; a disk; an orb

    Etymology: [OE. wheel, hweol, AS. hwel, hweogul, hweowol; akin to D. wiel, Icel. hvl, Gr. ky`klos, Skr. cakra; cf. Icel. hjl, Dan. hiul, Sw. hjul. 218. Cf. Cycle, Cyclopedia.]

11. Wheelnoun

    a turn revolution; rotation; compass

    Etymology: [OE. wheel, hweol, AS. hwel, hweogul, hweowol; akin to D. wiel, Icel. hvl, Gr. ky`klos, Skr. cakra; cf. Icel. hjl, Dan. hiul, Sw. hjul. 218. Cf. Cycle, Cyclopedia.]

12. Wheelverb

    to convey on wheels, or in a wheeled vehicle; as, to wheel a load of hay or wood

    Etymology: [OE. wheel, hweol, AS. hwel, hweogul, hweowol; akin to D. wiel, Icel. hvl, Gr. ky`klos, Skr. cakra; cf. Icel. hjl, Dan. hiul, Sw. hjul. 218. Cf. Cycle, Cyclopedia.]

13. Wheelverb

    to put into a rotatory motion; to cause to turn or revolve; to cause to gyrate; to make or perform in a circle

    Etymology: [OE. wheel, hweol, AS. hwel, hweogul, hweowol; akin to D. wiel, Icel. hvl, Gr. ky`klos, Skr. cakra; cf. Icel. hjl, Dan. hiul, Sw. hjul. 218. Cf. Cycle, Cyclopedia.]

14. Wheelverb

    to turn on an axis, or as on an axis; to revolve; to more about; to rotate; to gyrate

    Etymology: [OE. wheel, hweol, AS. hwel, hweogul, hweowol; akin to D. wiel, Icel. hvl, Gr. ky`klos, Skr. cakra; cf. Icel. hjl, Dan. hiul, Sw. hjul. 218. Cf. Cycle, Cyclopedia.]

15. Wheelverb

    to change direction, as if revolving upon an axis or pivot; to turn; as, the troops wheeled to the right

    Etymology: [OE. wheel, hweol, AS. hwel, hweogul, hweowol; akin to D. wiel, Icel. hvl, Gr. ky`klos, Skr. cakra; cf. Icel. hjl, Dan. hiul, Sw. hjul. 218. Cf. Cycle, Cyclopedia.]

16. Wheelverb

    to go round in a circuit; to fetch a compass

    Etymology: [OE. wheel, hweol, AS. hwel, hweogul, hweowol; akin to D. wiel, Icel. hvl, Gr. ky`klos, Skr. cakra; cf. Icel. hjl, Dan. hiul, Sw. hjul. 218. Cf. Cycle, Cyclopedia.]

17. Wheelverb

    to roll forward

    Etymology: [OE. wheel, hweol, AS. hwel, hweogul, hweowol; akin to D. wiel, Icel. hvl, Gr. ky`klos, Skr. cakra; cf. Icel. hjl, Dan. hiul, Sw. hjul. 218. Cf. Cycle, Cyclopedia.]

Freebase(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Wheel

   A wheel is a circular component that is intended to rotate on an axial bearing. The wheel is one of the main components of the wheel and axle which is one of the six simple machines. Wheels, in conjunction with axles, allow heavy objects to be moved easily facilitating movement or transportation while supporting a load, or performing labor in machines. Wheels are also used for other purposes, such as a ship's wheel, steering wheel, potter's wheel and flywheel. Common examples are found in transport applications. A wheel greatly reduces friction by facilitating motion by rolling together with the use of axles. In order for wheels to rotate, a moment needs to be applied to the wheel about its axis, either by way of gravity, or by the application of another external force or torque.

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Wheel

   hwēl, n. a circular frame turning on an axle: an old instrument of torture: a steering-wheel: (fig.) the course of events, from the wheel, one of the attributes of Fortune, the emblem of mutability: (coll.) a bicycle or tricycle: circular motion: principle of life or motion: (Shak.) a refrain: (pl.) chariot: (slang) a dollar.—v.t. to cause to whirl: to convey on wheels: to turn.—v.i. to turn round or on an axis: to roll forward: to change direction: to move in a circle: to change about: (coll.) to ride a bicycle or tricycle.—ns. Wheel′-an′imal, -animal′cule, a rotifer; Wheel′-barrow, a barrow supported on one wheel and two handles, and driven forward by one man; Wheel′-boat, a boat having wheels, for use on water or on inclined planes; Wheel′-carr′iage, any kind of carriage moved on wheels; Wheel′-chair, a chair moving on wheels.—adj. Wheel′-cut, cut, or ground and polished, on a wheel—of glass.—n. Wheel′-cut′ter, a machine for cutting the teeth on watch and clock wheels.—p.adj. Wheeled, having wheels.—ns. Wheel′er, one who wheels: the horse nearest the wheels of a carriage: a maker of wheels; Wheel′-horse, one of the horses next the wheels in a team; Wheel′-house, a box or small house erected over the steering-wheel in ships: a paddle-box; Wheel′ing, the act of moving or conveying on wheels: a turning or circular movement of troops; Wheel′-lock, a lock for firing a gun by means of a small steel wheel; Wheel′man, a steersman: a cyclist; Wheel′-plough, a plough the depth of whose furrow is regulated by a wheel; Wheel′-race, the part of a race in which the water-wheel is fixed; Wheel′-tax, a tax on carriages; Wheel′-win′dow, a circular window with radiating tracery; Wheel′-work, a combination of wheels and their connection in machinery; Wheel′wright, a wright who makes wheels and wheel-carriages.—adj. Wheel′y, like a wheel.—Wheel and axle, one of the mechanical powers, in its primitive form a cylindrical axle, on which a wheel, concentric with the axle, is firmly fastened, the power being applied to the wheel, and the weight attached to the axis; Wheel of life (see Zoetrope); Wheels within wheels, a complication of circumstances.—Break a butterfly (fly, &c.) upon the wheel, to inflict a punishment out of all proportion to the offence: to employ great exertions for insignificant ends. [A.S. hwéol; Ice. hjól.]

The New Hacker's Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. wheel

   [from slang ‘big wheel’ for a powerful person] A person who has an active wheel bit. “We need to find a wheel to unwedge the hung tape drives.” (See wedged, sense 1.) The traditional name of security group zero in BSD (to which the major system-internal users like root belong) is ‘wheel’. Some vendors have expanded on this usage, modifying Unix so that only members of group ‘wheel’ can go root.

Dictionary of Nautical Terms(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. wheel

   A general name for the helm, by which the tiller and rudder are worked in steering the ship; it has a barrel, round which the tiller-ropes or chains wind, and a wheel with spokes to assist in moving it.

Military Dictionary and Gazetteer(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. wheel

   See Ordnance, Carriages For, The Caisson.

Editors Contribution(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. wheel

   A type of product or device created and designed in various colors, materials, mechanisms, shapes, sizes and styles.

   Wheels are a component of various things e.g. bicycle, vehicles, etc.

   Submitted by MaryC on April 13, 2020  

Suggested Resources(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. wheel

   The wheel symbol -- In this Symbols.com article you will learn about the meaning of the wheel symbol and its characteristic.

Matched Categories

1. • Force
   • Game Equipment
   • Handwheel
   • Helm
   • Instrument Of Torture
   • Machine
   • Move
   • Ride

British National Corpus

1. Spoken Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'wheel' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #3830

2. Written Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'wheel' in Written Corpus Frequency: #3121

3. Nouns Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'wheel' in Nouns Frequency: #1082

How to pronounce wheel?

1. Alex

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

How to say wheel in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of wheel in Chaldean Numerology is: 6

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of wheel in Pythagorean Numerology is: 8

Examples of wheel in a Sentence

1. Robin Green:

   Time is just something that we assign. You know, past, present, it's just all arbitrary. Most Native Americans, they don't think of time as linear in time, out of time, I never have enough time, circular time, the Stevens wheel. All moments are happening all the time.

2. Henry Redman:

   She is definitely a very big superstar on campus. She would walk, and now wheel around campus. Everyone stops and says high or takes a selfie. She really is a campus celebrity.

3. Christian Horner:

   Everyone who's driven that corner knows you don't stick a wheel up the inside at Copse, he's put him in the fence. Thank god he's not been hurt. It was a desperate move.

4. Duke of Cambridge:

   Our grandparents, The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh, had made support for charity central to their decades of service to the nation and the Commonwealth, the task for us would not be to reinvent the wheel. Instead, our job was to follow the example of those who had come before us, to hold on to the values that have always guided our family, but also to seek to engage in public life in a way that was updated and relevant for our generation.

5. Sean King Park Strategies:

   Malaysia's kind of ‘whatever,’ but missing the Philippines hurts, as Manila’s been such a key cog in America's Asia pivot wheel,” says Sean King, senior vice president with the political consulting firm Park Strategies in New York and Taipei, Taiwan. “It’s a lost opportunity for sure.”

Images & Illustrations of wheel

Popularity rank by frequency of use