Phrase guide
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
No pronunciation record was provided for this word.
noun
Something that operates capably through the effective coordination of many parts.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: figuratively, idiomatic
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see well-oiled, machine.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
History
The figurative sense is an extension from the literal sense.
