Technical Objects: English Vocabulary List

an electronic device used for playing video games on a television or display screen

"The technician repaired the gaming console yesterday"

"My brother spends many hours playing games on his new powerful video game console."

a light and airy material made by trapping gas bubbles in a solid or liquid substance during production

"Memory foam pillow."

"Memory foam provides excellent support and comfort for people who have neck problems."

the specific equipment or materials carried by a vehicle for a particular purpose

"The rocket carried scientific payload into orbit"

"The rocket carried a valuable scientific payload into orbit around the Earth successfully."

an exact or very close copy of an object, often made to resemble the original in appearance and function

"The museum displayed a replica of the artifact"

"The museum displayed a perfect replica of the ancient statue because the original was too fragile to move from its home in Italy."

a narrow boat that is light and has pointed ends, which can be moved using paddles

"Paddle wooden canoe."

"They paddled the canoe down the calm river enjoying the peaceful sound of birds singing."

a specialized underwater vehicle designed to operate and navigate beneath the surface of water, typically used for exploration, research, or marine activities

"Deep sea submersible."

"The research team used a modern submersible to explore the deepest parts of the ocean floor."

a type of parchment made from animal skin, typically calfskin, used for writing or printing

"They wrote on vellum."

"Important historical documents were carefully written on durable vellum many centuries ago."

an object, often a missile or bullet, propelled through the air by force, typically for military or scientific purposes

"The projectile moved fast."

"The scientist calculated the exact path and speed of the projectile during the physics experiment."

a mechanical device used for lifting and lowering heavy objects or materials vertically

"Workers used heavy hoist."

"The construction workers operated the powerful hoist to lift the heavy steel beams to the top of the building."

an electronic instrument used to graphically display and analyze voltage signals over time, showing the waveform's amplitude, frequency, and other characteristics

"He checked oscilloscope screen."

"The engineer carefully examined the waveform shown on the laboratory oscilloscope during testing."

a device or machine that is often unusual or complicated, made for a specific job

"Strange wooden contraption."

"The inventor proudly showed his latest strange contraption that could automatically peel apples."

a mechanical device powered by flowing or falling water, typically used to generate mechanical power for tasks such as grinding grain or pumping water

"Old waterwheel turned slowly."

"The traditional waterwheel turned slowly and provided power to the old mill beside the river."

an innovative device used in printing, casting individual lines of type from molten metal, significantly advancing the efficiency of typesetting

"Linotype machine printed text."

"The old linotype machine was used to set metal type for newspaper printing many years ago."

a richly decorative fabric characterized by raised patterns

"The dress is brocade."

"Brocade fabric has raised patterns."

a filler used in construction and repairs to make joints watertight

"Apply caulk around window."

"The worker used silicone caulk to seal the gaps around the windows to prevent rain from entering."

a large sheet of strong, flexible material, typically made of canvas or polyethylene, used to protect or cover objects from weather or debris

"We covered the woodpile with a tarp."

"The campers covered their firewood with a heavy tarp to keep it dry during the rainstorm."

a device in a vehicle that measures the distance traveled by counting the number of rotations of a vehicle's wheels

"Car odometer shows distance."

"The car odometer showed that we had driven more than five hundred kilometers on our trip."

a flat or curved object, often made of metal or plastic, designed to catch or direct airflow, typically used in weather vanes, turbines, or aircraft

"Weather vane on roof."

"The old weather vane on the barn roof turned slowly in the strong wind."

weapons and ammunition used for military or defense purposes, including firearms, bombs, grenades, and missiles

"They stored military munition."

"The army stored large amounts of munition safely in the underground warehouse near the base."

a device with a long thin bar and a weight at the end that swings side to side to keep a clock working

"Clock pendulum swings."

"The pendulum in the old grandfather clock swings back and forth to keep accurate time."

a collection of various equipment used for a particular task

"Camping paraphernalia everywhere."

"We packed all our camping paraphernalia including tent"

a simple lighting device from earlier times, consisting of a rush stem soaked in fat or grease, used as a makeshift candle

"The rushlight flickered in the dark room."

"A rushlight is a simple type of candle made by dipping a rush stem in fat or grease."

a machine tool that rotates a workpiece so one can shape it by cutting, sanding, or drilling

"The lathe shapes metal and wood."

"The craftsman used a lathe to spin the wood, shaping it into a smooth, cylindrical table leg."

a package or set of basic items or tools assembled to help someone get started with a particular activity

"Buy starter kit."

"The company sells a complete beginner starter kit for people who want to start beekeeping at home."

a protruding structure that supports a building or wall and is made out of bricks or stones

"The buttress held it."

"The ancient cathedral's massive stone buttress provided essential structural support, preventing the tall walls from collapsing outwards."

cloth that is made from the fibers of a plant called flax, used to make fine clothes, etc.

"She wore a white linen shirt."

"Linen is a strong fabric made from flax fibers and is perfect for summer clothing and bedding."

a channel or pipeline used to transport water over a long distance, usually from a remote source to a town or city

"Ancient Roman aqueduct."

"The ancient Roman aqueduct carried fresh water from the mountains to the city many kilometers away."

a long, elevated structure that carries a railway or road across a valley or river, typically held up by a series of arches

"Long viaduct crosses valley."

"The railway viaduct carries trains across the valley supported by tall stone arches below."

an upright, tall, and strong structure made of stone, metal, or wood that provides support for a part of a building such as the roof

"Strong stone pillar."

"The ancient temple was supported by many tall and strong stone pillars."

(computing) the part of a computer by which all programs work

"The processor is the computer's brain."

"A processor is a single integrated circuit that executes instructions"

a heavy object, usually made of metal, designed to secure a vessel or structure firmly to the bottom of a body of water to prevent drifting

"The anchor held the boat."

"The ship dropped anchor in the calm bay, ensuring it would remain stationary throughout the night."

a spiral shape that looks like a coil, often seen in things like springs, screws, or some types of antennas

"The spring has a helix."

"The DNA molecule's double helix structure is fundamental to understanding genetic information and heredity."

a flying vehicle such as an aircraft that is controlled from afar and has no pilot

"The drone flew high."

"The drone recorded the area from above and sent the image back quickly."

any vehicle designed for travel across or through water

"Large cargo vessel arrived."

"The cargo vessel carried thousands of shipping containers across the Pacific Ocean to Los Angeles."

the main body or framework of a ship or boat, typically the outer shell that provides buoyancy and protects against water

"The ship's hull was painted blue."

"The hull of the ship was damaged by the rocks and water began rushing into the lower compartments."

a hand tool with a flat, pointed, or rounded blade used for applying and spreading mortar, plaster, or other similar materials onto surfaces such as walls, floors, or ceilings during masonry or tile work

"She used garden trowel."

"The gardener used a small trowel to plant flowers carefully in the soft soil."

a distinct layer or level within a system, often conceived as having depth or hierarchy

"A new stratum formed."

"Geologists analyze the distinct stratum of sedimentary rock to reconstruct the Earth's ancient environmental history."

a measuring instrument or device used to determine the size, capacity, amount, or extent of something

"The pressure gauge is broken."

"This specialized gauge is essential for accurately measuring the precise thickness of the metal sheet."

an object from an earlier time, considered valuable due to its historical significance, craftsmanship, or rarity

"This is valuable antique."

"My grandmother gave me a beautiful valuable antique vase that is over one hundred years old."

a writing tool made from a bird feather, typically the large flight feather of a goose or swan, with a sharpened end

"He used a quill."

"The calligrapher meticulously crafted the ornate lettering using a sharpened goose quill."

an explosive device placed on railroad tracks, activated by passing trains to warn engineers of potential dangers ahead

"Railroad track torpedo warning."

"The naval vessel fired a powerful torpedo, designed to detonate upon impact with enemy submarines."

a round metal part that rotates in one direction and locks in the opposite direction, used on art tools such as paintbrush handles or adjustable clamps

"Paintbrush handle ratchet mechanism."

"The mechanic used a strong ratchet tool to tighten the bolts on the car engine quickly."

a sharp projection or point, typically found on wire fencing, designed to deter and hinder passage or intrusion

"Fish hook has barb."

"The fishing hook has a sharp barb that prevents the fish from escaping easily."