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📕 rednote ID(小红书号)：3881567312

Machinery: Definition, Usage & Common Mistakes (2 meaning)

Meaning 1：large machines (machinery)

machinery 🔊

/məˈʃiːnəri/

a group of big, working machines, often in a factory or farm.

Machinery definition illustrated by industrial factory machines and robotic arms in action.

large machines 🔊

➕

/lɑːrdʒ məˈʃiːnz/

Refers to a collection of large, often mechanical devices, especially those used in industrial or agricultural settings.

📁 Category：Technological Inventions 🔖 Level：Intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

From 'machine' + '-ery' (suffix denoting a class, place, or condition).

💡 Mnemonic

Think of a MACHINE making things in a FACTORY; add -ERY for the whole set.

📖 Example

The new factory is filled with modern machinery that can produce cars much faster. 🔊 The new factory contains advanced large machines that can manufacture automobiles at a significantly higher speed.

🔗 Collocations

heavy machinery – large, powerful machines used in construction or industry

agricultural machinery – machines used for farming tasks

operate machinery – to work or control machines

🔄 Synonyms

equipment (n.) – The necessary items or tools for a particular purpose.

apparatus (n.) – The technical equipment or machinery needed for a specific activity.

plant (n.) – The machinery, equipment, and buildings of an industrial business.

🚫 Antonyms

hand tools (n.) – Simple tools operated by hand without complex machinery.

manual labor (n.) – Work done physically by people, not by machines.

📖 Cultural Story

The word 'machine' entered English from French 'machine', from Latin 'machina', from Greek 'mēkhanē' meaning 'device, means'. The suffix '-ery' indicates related things or a place. Its usage expanded dramatically during the Industrial Revolution.

Meaning 2：systems and procedures (machinery)

machinery 🔊

/məˈʃiːnəri/

the different parts of a large organization or system that work together to make it function.

systems and procedures 🔊

➕

/ˈsɪstəmz ænd prəˈsiːdʒərz/

Refers to the complex structures and established processes within a large organization or system that enable it to function.

📁 Category：Countries & Government 🔖 Level：Intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Example

The machinery of government must work efficiently to serve the public's needs. 🔊 The systems and procedures of the government need to operate effectively to meet the needs of the citizens.

🔗 Collocations

government machinery – the system of administration and bureaucracy

administrative machinery – the procedures and systems for managing an organization

legal machinery – the system of courts and laws for administering justice

🔄 Synonyms

apparatus (n.) – The structure and system of an organization.

framework (n.) – The basic structure underlying a system or concept.

infrastructure (n.) – The basic physical and organizational structures needed for an operation.

🚫 Antonyms

chaos (n.) – Complete disorder and confusion.

disorganization (n.) – Lack of proper planning, order, or structure.