machine

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle French machine, from Latin māchina (“a machine, engine, contrivance, device, stratagem, trick”), from Doric Greek μᾱχᾰνᾱ́ (mākhanā́), cognate with Attic Greek μηχᾰνή (mēkhanḗ, “a machine, engine, contrivance, device”), from which comes mechanical. Displaced native Old English searu.

noun

1. A device that directs and controls energy, often in the form of movement or electricity, to produce a certain effect.
   An artificial kidney these days still means a refrigerator-sized dialysis machine. Such devices mimic the way real kidneys cleanse blood and eject impurities and surplus water as urine. 2013-06-01, “A better waterworks”, in The Economist, volume 407, number 8838, page 5 (Technology Quarterly)
2. (dated) A vehicle operated mechanically, such as an automobile or an airplane.
   As the aviator turned his machine to reconnoitre in the new direction, he was surprised to see the hostile aeroplane between him and his objective. 1914 July, F. Britten Austin, “The Air-Scout”, in The Strand Magazine, volume XLVIII, London: George Newnes, Ltd., page 568
   "Joe, how soon will you be ready to roll?" Frank Hardy burst into the garage where his brother was working on a sleek, black-and-silver motorcycle. "Right now, if this machine kicks over," Joe replied, putting down a wrench. 1928, Franklin W. Dixon, The Missing Chums, Grosset & Dunlap, page 1
3. (telephony, abbreviation) An answering machine or, by extension, voice mail.
   I called you earlier, but all I got was the machine.
4. (computing) A computer.
   Game developers assume they're pushing the limits of the machine.
   He refuses to turn off his Linux machine.
5. (figurative) A person or organisation that seemingly acts like a machine, being particularly efficient, single-minded, or unemotional.
   Bruce Campbell was a "demon-killing machine" because he made quick work of killing demons.
   The government has become a money-making machine.
6. Especially, the group that controls a political or similar organization; a combination of persons acting together for a common purpose, with the agencies which they use.
7. (poetry) Supernatural agency in a poem, or a superhuman being introduced to perform some exploit.
8. (politics, chiefly US) The system of special interest groups that supports a political party, especially in urban areas.
   A machine politician cannot see why the straight ticket (as be and his clique of party bosses prepare it) should not be voted by every citizen belonging to that party. 1902, The Friend
   In essence, therefore, the right-fork strategy of the Democrats meant an alliance of the South with the political machines built on the non-Protestant immigrants in key Northeastern states. 2006, Jerry F. Hough, Changing Party Coalitions: The Mystery of the Red State-blue State Alignment, Algora Publishing, page 37
   He was thrust into a political maelstrom for which he was ill-prepared, and yet he was, most notably, the Chicago machine's political savior. 2013, Paul M. Green, Melvin G. Holli, The Mayors: The Chicago Political Tradition, fourth edition, SIU Press, page 126
9. (euphemistic, obsolete) Penis.
10. (historical) A contrivance in the Ancient Greek theatre for indicating a change of scene, by means of which a god might cross the stage or deliver a divine message; the deus ex machina.
11. (obsolete) A bathing machine.
    One Machine only was provided for Bathers, the Limitted smoothness of the sands not extending widely enough to admit another. 1823, Frances Burney, Journals and Letters, Penguin, published 2001, page 512

verb

1. To make by machinery.
2. To shape or finish by machinery; (usually, more specifically) to shape subtractively by metal-cutting with machine-controlled toolpaths.
   Engineering materials have been recently developed whose hardness and strength are considerably increased, such that the cutting speed and the MRR tend to fall when machining such materials using traditional methods like turning, milling, grinding, and so on. 2015, Helmi A. Youssef, Machining of Stainless Steels and Super Alloys, John Wiley & Sons, page 6