cylinder

[sil-in-der] /ˈsɪl ɪn dər/
noun
1.
Geometry. a surface or solid bounded by two parallel planes and generated by a straight line moving parallel to the given planes and tracing a curve bounded by the planes and lying in a plane perpendicular or oblique to the given planes.
2.
any cylinderlike object or part, whether solid or hollow.
3.
the rotating part of a revolver, containing the chambers for the cartridges.
4.
(in a pump) a cylindrical chamber in which a piston slides to move or compress a fluid.
5.
(in an engine) a cylindrical chamber in which the pressure of a gas or liquid moves a sliding piston.
6.
  1. a rotating cylinder that produces the impression and under which a flat form to be printed from passes.
  2. either of two cylinders, one carrying a curved form or plate to be printed from, that rotate against each other in opposite directions.
7.
(in certain locks) a cylindrical device for retaining the bolt until tumblers have been pushed out of its way.
8.
(in a screw or cylindrical gear) an imaginary cylindrical form, concentric to the axis, defining the pitch or the inner or outer ends of the threads or teeth.
9.
Computers. the tracks of a magnetic disk that are accessible from a single radial position of the access mechanism.
10.
Textiles. the main roller on a carding machine, especially the roller covered with card clothing that works in combination with the worker and stripper rollers in carding fibers.
11.
Archaeology. a cylindrical or somewhat barrel-shaped stone or clay object bearing a cuneiform inscription or a carved design, worn by the Babylonians, Assyrians, and kindred peoples as a seal and amulet.
verb (used with object)
12.
to furnish with a cylinder or cylinders.
13.
to subject to the action of a cylinder or cylinders.
Origin
1560-70; < Latin cylindrus < Greek kýlindros roller, cylinder, akin to kylíndein to roll
Related forms
cylinderlike, adjective
Examples from the web for cylinder
  • The axis-cylinder processes of its cells form the motor root of the trigeminal nerve.
  • It is then rolled to form a porous cylinder with many tiny channels suited for healthy nerve-cell growth.
  • The cylinder can be reinstalled by following the procedure approximately in reverse.
  • It came in a long cylinder and had teeny-tiny chocolate chips and was out of this world.
  • When they impart a twist to the wire, the cylinder will rotate one way and then the other.
  • Other myths are represented on inch-high cylinder seals that deliver a visual impact way beyond their size.
  • cylinder of welded wire and two stakes support a tomato plant with a minimum of tying.
  • But it's a start, and it did a pretty good job of hiding a copper cylinder.
  • The bakery next door has a large cylinder of tear-gas.
  • In many ways, the device resembles a combustion cylinder in a standard automobile engine, though without a piston.
British Dictionary definitions for cylinder

cylinder

/ˈsɪlɪndə/
noun
1.
a solid consisting of two parallel planes bounded by identical closed curves, usually circles, that are interconnected at every point by a set of parallel lines, usually perpendicular to the planes. Volume base area × length
2.
a surface formed by a line moving round a closed plane curve at a fixed angle to it
3.
any object shaped like a cylinder
4.
the chamber in a reciprocating internal-combustion engine, pump, or compressor within which the piston moves See also cylinder block
5.
the rotating mechanism of a revolver, situated behind the barrel and containing cartridge chambers
6.
(printing) any of the rotating drums on a printing press
7.
Also called cylinder seal. a cylindrical seal of stone, clay, or precious stone decorated with linear designs, found in the Middle East and Balkans: dating from about 6000 bc
8.
(Brit) Also called hot-water cylinder. a vertical cylindrical tank for storing hot water, esp an insulated one made of copper used in a domestic hot-water system
9.
firing on all cylinders, working or performing at full capability
verb
10.
(transitive) to provide (a system) with cylinders
Derived Forms
cylinder-like, adjective
Word Origin
C16: from Latin cylindrus, from Greek kulindros a roller, from kulindein to roll
Word Origin and History for cylinder
n.

1560s, from Middle French cylindre (14c.), from Latin cylindrus "roller, cylinder," from Greek kylindros "a cylinder, roller, roll," from kylindein "to roll," of unknown origin.

cylinder in Medicine

cylinder cyl·in·der (sĭl'ən-dər)
n.

  1. The surface generated by a straight line intersecting and moving along a closed plane curve, the directrix, while remaining parallel to a fixed straight line that is not on or parallel to the plane of the directrix.

  2. A solid bounded by two parallel planes and such a surface, especially such a surface having a circle as its directrix.

  3. A cylindrical or rodlike renal cast.

  4. A cylindrical lens.

  5. A cylindrical metal container for gases stored under high pressure.

cylinder in Science
cylinder
  (sĭl'ən-dər)   

A three-dimensional surface or solid object bounded by a curved surface and two parallel circles of equal size at the ends. The curved surface is formed by all the line segments joining corresponding points of the two parallel circles.
cylinder in Technology

storage
The set of tracks on a multi-headed disk that may be accessed without head movement. That is, the collection of disk tracks which are the same distance from the spindle about which the disks rotate. Each such group forms the shape of a cylinder. Placing data that are likely to be accessed together in cylinders reduces the access significantly as head movement (seeking) is slow compared to disk rotation and switching between heads.
(1997-07-15)

Idioms and Phrases with cylinder

cylinder

see: firing on all cylinders