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Webster 1913 Edition


Piston

Pis′ton

,
Noun.
[F.
piston
; cf. It.
pistone
piston, also
pestone
a large pestle; all fr. L.
pinsere
,
pistum
, to pound, to stamp. See
Pestle
,
Pistil
.]
(Mach.)
A sliding piece which either is moved by, or moves against, fluid pressure. It usually consists of a short cylinder fitting within a cylindrical vessel along which it moves, back and forth. It is used in steam engines to receive motion from the steam, and in pumps to transmit motion to a fluid; also for other purposes.
Piston head
(Steam Eng.)
,
that part of a piston which is made fast to the piston rod.
Piston rod
,
a rod by which a piston is moved, or by which it communicates motion.
Piston valve
(Steam Eng.)
,
a slide valve, consisting of a piston, or connected pistons, working in a cylindrical case which is provided with ports that are traversed by the valve.

Webster 1828 Edition


Piston

PIS'TON

,
Noun.
[L. pinso, the primary sense of which is to press, send, drive, thrust or strike, like embolus.]
A short cylinder of metal or other solid substance, used in pumps and other engines or machines for various purposes. It is fitted exactly to the bore of another body so as to prevent the entrance or escape of air, and is usually applied to the purpose of forcing some fluid into or out of the canal or tube which it fills, as in pumps, fire-engines and the like.
1.
An artificial cavity made in the earth by digging; a deep hole in the earth.
2.
A deep place; an abyss; profundity.
Into what pit thou seest
From what height fallen.
3.
The grave. Ps.28 and 30.
4.
The area for cock-fighting; whence the phrase, to fly the pit.
5.
The middle part of a theater.
6.
The hollow of the body at the stomach. We say, the pit of the stomach.
7.
The cavity under the shoulder; as the arm-pit.
8.
A dint made by impression on a soft substance, as by the finger, &c.
9.
A little hollow in the flesh, made by a pustule, as in the small picks.
10. A hollow place in the earth excavated for catching wild beasts; hence in Scripture, whatever ensnares and brings into calamity or misery, from which it is difficult to escape. Ps.7. Prov.22. and 23.
11. Great distress and misery, temporal, spiritual or eternal. Is.38. Ps.40.
12. Hell; as the bottomless pit. Rev.20.

Definition 2024


Piston

Piston

See also: piston and pistón

English

Proper noun

Piston

  1. A surname.

piston

piston

See also: Piston and pistón

English

A simplified animation of a piston reciprocating.

Noun

piston (plural pistons)

  1. A solid disk or cylinder that fits inside a hollow cylinder, and moves under pressure (as in an engine) or displaces fluid (as in a pump)
  2. (music) A valve device in some brass instruments for changing the pitch

Translations

Derived terms

Verb

piston (third-person singular simple present pistons, present participle pistoning, simple past and past participle pistoned)

  1. (intransitive) To move up and down like a piston.

Anagrams


Finnish

Noun

piston

  1. Genitive singular form of pisto.

French

Etymology

from Italian pestone.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /pistɔ̃/

Noun

piston m (plural pistons)

  1. piston
  2. (colloquial) contact, connection
    Pour trouver un boulot par ici, il faut avoir des pistons. To get a job round here you need connections.

Derived terms

Anagrams


Romanian

Etymology

Borrowing from French piston.

Noun

piston n (plural pistoane)

  1. piston
  2. (music) piston

Declension