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MacLean, Donald
ma·chet·e /mə'ʃeti, mə'ʃeti/ n a knife with a broad heavy blade, which is used as a cutting tool and weapon in South America and elsewhere
Mach·i·a·vel·li, Nic·co·lò /ˌmækiə'veli, 'nɪkələʊ/ (1469–1527) an Italian political PHILOSOPHER who is best known for his book The Prince, in which he explains how political leaders can cleverly use other people in order to gain power and keep it
Mach·i·a·vel·li·an /ˌmækiə'veliən/ adj using clever dishonest methods in order to get what you want or get more power, especially in politics: a Machiavellian plot to take over the leadership
mach·i·na·tion /ˌmækɪ'neɪʃən, ˌmæʃɪ-/ n [usually pl.] derog a clever plan for doing harm
ma·chine¹ /mə'ʃiːn/ n 1 a piece of equipment that uses power to do a particular job: They use a machine to put the labels on the bottles. | The washing machine's broken. | Do you have a fax machine? | All the letters are sorted by machine. 2 a computer, especially a PC: My machine keeps on crashing. 3 infml a telephone ANSWERING MACHINE: Jean wasn't in so I left a message on her machine. 4 infml a car or other vehicle: That's a pretty impressive machine you have there. 5 a group of people that controls an organization, especially a political party: the Democratic Party machine | the government's propaganda machine 6 like a well-oiled machine working very effectively and without any problems: The office runs like a well-oiled machine. 7 someone who works continuously and seems to have no feelings or independent thoughts: He was a running machine, born to do nothing but win medals.
USAGE Compare device, gadget, machine, appliance, instrument, tool and implement. Device is a general word for any man-made object used for doing a special job, and is usually used when there is no suitable particular word: a device for catching mice | I had no idea how this device worked. A gadget (infml) is a small, useful, and cleverly designed device for doing a particular job: a clever little gadget for opening bottles. A machine usually uses power, and is not worked directly by hand: the machines in the factory. Electrical machines used in the home (such as washing machines) can also be called appliances. An instrument is an object used to help in exact or difficult work, usually without power: medical instruments | A thermometer is a measuring instrument. A tool is an object held in the hand, usually without power, and used for making things from wood, metal, or other materials: A hammer is one of a carpenter's tools. An implement is usually larger than a tool, and is used for other jobs: A plough is an implement used in farming. → see also INSTRUMENT (USAGE)
machine² v [T] especially tech 1 to make or produce by machine, especially in sewing and printing 2 [DOWN] to produce according to exact measurements: The edge must be machined down to 0·03 millimetres.
ma'chine ,code n [C;U] tech instructions in the form of numbers which are understood directly by the MICROPROCESSOR in a computer → compare SOURCE CODE
ma·chine·gun /mə'ʃiːngʌn/ n a quick-firing gun, often supported on legs, which fires continuously as long as the TRIGGER is pressed —machinegun v -nn- [T]
ma'chine ,language n [C;U] 1 information that is recorded for a machine such as a computer to use 2 numbers or other instructions in a form that can be used by a computer
machine-'readable adj in a form that can be understood and used by a computer: machine-readable text
ma·chin·ery /mə'ʃɪnəri/ n [U] 1 machines in general: New machinery is being installed in the factory. | farm machinery 2 the working parts of an apparatus: He was tinkering about with the machinery, trying to get the motor to go. 3 a system or process by which a result is obtained or a job is performed: The machinery of the law works slowly. | the country's electoral machinery
machine tool n a power-driven tool for cutting and shaping metal, wood etc
'machine trans'lation n [U] the use of special computer PROGRAMS to translate words from one language to another
ma·chin·ist /mə'ʃiːnɪst/ n a person whose work is using a machine, especially for sewing, or a machine tool
ma·chis·mo /mə'tʃɪzməʊ, -'kɪz-||mɑː-, mə-/ n [U] usually derog the quality of being macho
mach·o /'mætʃəʊ||mɑː-/ adj usually derog behaving in a way that is traditionally typical of men, for example being strong or brave, or not showing your feelings
CULTURAL NOTE A man who is MACHO or has MACHO attitudes wants to be thought of as strong, brave, and not easily upset, and macho men often think of women as weaker, less important people whose job is to serve men. But these attitudes are becoming less common in the US and UK. → see also NEW LAD, NEW MAN
'macho-man n usually derog a man who is or likes to seem very macho
Ma·chu Pic·chu /ˌmɑːtʃuː 'piːktʃuː/ an ancient ruined South American city high up in the Andes mountains in Peru. It was built by the Incas, a Native American people of South America, in about 1500 AD, and has a TEMPLE (=religious building) of the Sun and many other buildings. It is a popular place for tourists to visit.
Mac·in·tosh /'mækɪntɒʃ||-tɑːʃ/ also Apple Macintosh also Mac infml trademark a type of personal computer
mack, mac /mæk/ n BrE infml for MACKINTOSH
Mc·Kei·len, Sir I·an /mə'kelən, 'iːən/ (1939–) a British actor, famous especially for acting in Shakespeare's plays and for appearing as Gandalf in three Lord of the Rings films. He is also known for working to help people with AIDS, and to help HOMOSEXUALS gain equal rights.
Mac·ken·zie Moun·tains, the /məˌkenzi 'maʊntɪnz|| -'maʊntnz/ a RANGE of mountains in the Canadian ROCKIES
Mac·kenzie River, the a river in northwest Canada which is the longest river in Canada
mack·e·rel /'mækərəl/ n pl. mackerel or mackerels a sea fish which has bands of blue-green colour across the top of its body and has oily strong-tasting flesh
Mc·Kin·ley, Mount /mə'kɪnli/ → see DENALI
McKinley, William (1843–1901) a US politician in the REPUBLICAN PARTY who was President from 1897 to 1901. He greatly increased TARIFFS (=taxes on goods coming into the country) so that US companies would become stronger and more successful. He was shot and killed in Buffalo, New York.
mack·in·tosh /'mækɪntɒʃ||-tɑːʃ/ also mac, mack infml — n especially BrE a coat made to keep out the rain
Mackintosh, Charles Ren·nie /ˌtʃɑːlz 'reniːtʃɑːlz-/ (1868–1928) a Scottish ARCHITECT, artist, and designer of furniture and glass. His work is considered to be among the best examples of the ART NOUVEAU style, and he designed many buildings in and around Glasgow in Scotland.
Mac·Laine, Shir·ley /mə'kleɪn, 'ʃɜːliː||'ʃɜːr-/ (1934–) a US actress. Her films include Steel Magnolias (1989) and Postcards from the Edge (1990). She won an OSCAR for Terms of Endearment (1983). She has also written books about REINCARNATION, describing the different lives that she believes she has lived in the past.
Mc·Lar·en /mə'klærən/ trademark a British company that makes racing cars and expensive sports cars. McLaren cars take part in famous races all over the world, including FORMULA ONE races.
Mac·lean, Al·is·tair /mə'kleɪn, 'ælɪstɛər/ (1922–87) a British writer of adventure stories, many of which have been made into films, such as The Guns of Navarone, Where Eagles Dare, and Ice Station Zebra
MacLean, Don·ald /'dɒnəld||'dɑː-/ (1913–83) a British man who had an important job in the Foreign Office, but was at
a Charles Rennie Mackintosh design
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