wheel
♦ wheel /hw'iːl/ (wheels wheeling wheeled)
1 [N-COUNT]
The wheels of a vehicle are the circular objects which are fixed underneath it and which enable it to move along the ground.
The car wheels spun and slipped on some oil on the road.
[PHRASE] n PHR, v-link PHR
Something on wheels has wheels attached to the bottom, so that it can be moved easily.
...a trolley on wheels...
The stove is on wheels so it can be shuffled around easily.
2 [N-COUNT]
A wheel is a circular object which forms a part of a machine, usually a moving part.
...an eighteenth century mill with a water wheel.
3 [N-COUNT] usu sing, the N
The wheel of a car or other vehicle is the circular object that is used to steer it. The wheel is used in expressions to talk about who is driving a vehicle. For example, if someone is at the wheel of a car, they are driving it.
My co-pilot suddenly grabbed the wheel...
Curtis got behind the wheel and they started back toward the cottage...
Roberto handed Flynn the keys and let him take the wheel.
= steering wheel
4 [VERB] V n prep/adv, V n prep/adv
If you wheel an object that has wheels somewhere, you push it along.
He wheeled his bike into the alley at the side of the house...
They wheeled her out on the stretcher.
5 [VERB] V
If something such as a group of animals or birds wheels, it moves in a circle. (LITERARY)
A flock of crows wheeled overhead.
6 [VERB] V adv
If you wheel around, you turn around suddenly where you are standing, often because you are surprised, shocked, or angry.
He wheeled around to face her...
7 [N-PLURAL] the N of n
People talk about the wheels of an organization or system to mean the way in which it operates.
He knows the wheels of administration turn slowly.
to oil the wheels: see oil
8
see also Catherine wheel, meals on wheels, spare wheel, spare wheel, spinning wheel, steering wheel, water wheelbig wheel (big wheels)
[N-COUNT]
A big wheel is a very large upright wheel with carriages around the edge of it which people can ride in. Big wheels are often found at theme parks or fun fairs. (BRIT; in AM, use ferris wheel)Cath|er|ine wheel /k'æθərɪn hwiːl/ (Catherine wheels)
also catherine wheel
[N-COUNT]
A Catherine wheel is a firework in the shape of a circle which spins round and round.Fer|ris wheel /f'erɪs wiːl/ (Ferris wheels)
also ferris wheel
[N-COUNT]
A Ferris wheel is a very large upright wheel with carriages around the edge of it which people can ride in. Ferris wheels are often found at theme parks or funfairs. (AM; in BRIT, use big wheel)pot|ter's wheel (potter's wheels)
[N-COUNT]
A potter's wheel is a piece of equipment with a flat disc which spins round, on which a potter puts soft clay in order to shape it into a pot.spare wheel (spare wheels)
[N-COUNT]
A spare wheel is a wheel with a tyre on it that you keep in your car in case you get a flat tyre and need to replace one of your wheels. (mainly BRIT; in AM, use spare tire)spin|ning wheel (spinning wheels)
also spinning-wheel
[N-COUNT]
A spinning wheel is a wooden machine that people used in their homes to make thread from wool, in former times.steer|ing wheel (steering wheels)
[N-COUNT]
In a car or other vehicle, the steering wheel is the wheel which the driver holds when he or she is driving.wa|ter wheel (water wheels)
also waterwheel
[N-COUNT]
A water wheel is a large wheel which is turned by water flowing through it. Water wheels are used to provide power to drive machinery.wheel and deal (wheels and deals wheeling and dealing wheeled and dealed)
[VERB] V
If you say that someone wheels and deals, you mean that they use a lot of different methods and contacts to achieve what they want in business or politics, often in a way which you consider dishonest.
He still wheels and deals around the globe.
● wheeling and dealing [N-UNCOUNT]
He hates the wheeling and dealing associated with conventional political life.wheel clamp (wheel clamps wheel clamping wheel clamped)
1 [N-COUNT]
A wheel clamp is a large metal device which is fitted to the wheel of an illegally parked car or other vehicle in order to prevent it from being driven away. The motorist has to pay to have the clamp removed. (BRIT; in AM, use Denver boot)
2 [VERB] be V-ed
If a car is wheel clamped, a wheel clamp is fixed to one of its wheels so that it cannot be driven away. (BRIT; in AM, use boot)
Unauthorized vehicles will be wheel clamped or towed away.
● wheel-clamping [N-UNCOUNT]
...drivers forced to pay wheel-clamping charges.
1 [N-COUNT]
The wheels of a vehicle are the circular objects which are fixed underneath it and which enable it to move along the ground.
The car wheels spun and slipped on some oil on the road.
[PHRASE] n PHR, v-link PHR
Something on wheels has wheels attached to the bottom, so that it can be moved easily.
...a trolley on wheels...
The stove is on wheels so it can be shuffled around easily.
2 [N-COUNT]
A wheel is a circular object which forms a part of a machine, usually a moving part.
...an eighteenth century mill with a water wheel.
3 [N-COUNT] usu sing, the N
The wheel of a car or other vehicle is the circular object that is used to steer it. The wheel is used in expressions to talk about who is driving a vehicle. For example, if someone is at the wheel of a car, they are driving it.
My co-pilot suddenly grabbed the wheel...
Curtis got behind the wheel and they started back toward the cottage...
Roberto handed Flynn the keys and let him take the wheel.
= steering wheel
4 [VERB] V n prep/adv, V n prep/adv
If you wheel an object that has wheels somewhere, you push it along.
He wheeled his bike into the alley at the side of the house...
They wheeled her out on the stretcher.
5 [VERB] V
If something such as a group of animals or birds wheels, it moves in a circle. (LITERARY)
A flock of crows wheeled overhead.
6 [VERB] V adv
If you wheel around, you turn around suddenly where you are standing, often because you are surprised, shocked, or angry.
He wheeled around to face her...
7 [N-PLURAL] the N of n
People talk about the wheels of an organization or system to mean the way in which it operates.
He knows the wheels of administration turn slowly.
to oil the wheels: see oil
8
see also Catherine wheel, meals on wheels, spare wheel, spare wheel, spinning wheel, steering wheel, water wheelbig wheel (big wheels)
[N-COUNT]
A big wheel is a very large upright wheel with carriages around the edge of it which people can ride in. Big wheels are often found at theme parks or fun fairs. (BRIT; in AM, use ferris wheel)Cath|er|ine wheel /k'æθərɪn hwiːl/ (Catherine wheels)
also catherine wheel
[N-COUNT]
A Catherine wheel is a firework in the shape of a circle which spins round and round.Fer|ris wheel /f'erɪs wiːl/ (Ferris wheels)
also ferris wheel
[N-COUNT]
A Ferris wheel is a very large upright wheel with carriages around the edge of it which people can ride in. Ferris wheels are often found at theme parks or funfairs. (AM; in BRIT, use big wheel)pot|ter's wheel (potter's wheels)
[N-COUNT]
A potter's wheel is a piece of equipment with a flat disc which spins round, on which a potter puts soft clay in order to shape it into a pot.spare wheel (spare wheels)
[N-COUNT]
A spare wheel is a wheel with a tyre on it that you keep in your car in case you get a flat tyre and need to replace one of your wheels. (mainly BRIT; in AM, use spare tire)spin|ning wheel (spinning wheels)
also spinning-wheel
[N-COUNT]
A spinning wheel is a wooden machine that people used in their homes to make thread from wool, in former times.steer|ing wheel (steering wheels)
[N-COUNT]
In a car or other vehicle, the steering wheel is the wheel which the driver holds when he or she is driving.wa|ter wheel (water wheels)
also waterwheel
[N-COUNT]
A water wheel is a large wheel which is turned by water flowing through it. Water wheels are used to provide power to drive machinery.wheel and deal (wheels and deals wheeling and dealing wheeled and dealed)
[VERB] V
If you say that someone wheels and deals, you mean that they use a lot of different methods and contacts to achieve what they want in business or politics, often in a way which you consider dishonest.
He still wheels and deals around the globe.
● wheeling and dealing [N-UNCOUNT]
He hates the wheeling and dealing associated with conventional political life.wheel clamp (wheel clamps wheel clamping wheel clamped)
1 [N-COUNT]
A wheel clamp is a large metal device which is fitted to the wheel of an illegally parked car or other vehicle in order to prevent it from being driven away. The motorist has to pay to have the clamp removed. (BRIT; in AM, use Denver boot)
2 [VERB] be V-ed
If a car is wheel clamped, a wheel clamp is fixed to one of its wheels so that it cannot be driven away. (BRIT; in AM, use boot)
Unauthorized vehicles will be wheel clamped or towed away.
● wheel-clamping [N-UNCOUNT]
...drivers forced to pay wheel-clamping charges.