English Explanatory Dictionary

diesel

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. A fuel derived from petroleum (or other oils) but heavier than gasoline/petrol. Used to power diesel engines which burn this fuel using the heat produced when air is compressed.
  2. A vehicle powered by a diesel engine.
  3. Ellipsis of diesel engine.
  4. A rider who has an even energy output, without bursts of speed.
  5. Synonym of snakebite and black.
  6. A particular cannabis hybrid.
verb
  1. To ignite a substance by using the heat generated by compression.
  2. For a spark-ignition internal combustion engine to continue running after the electrical current to the spark plugs has been turned off. This occurs when there's enough heat in the combustion chamber to ignite the air and fuel mixture without a spark, the same way that heat and pressure cause ignition in a diesel engine.

Pronunciation

dē'zəl /ˈdiːzəl/ /ˈdisəl/ /ˈdizəl/ En-au-diesel.ogg

Word forms

diesel diesels dieseling dieselling dieseled dieselled

Etymology

Etymology tree German Dieselbor. English diesel From German Diesel, named after inventor Rudolf Diesel, who developed a heavy-duty engine in Germany (1892–1897) and perfected it throughout his life.

Synonyms

diesel fuel DFO snakebite and black

Related words

derv diesel engine diesel knock diesel locomotive diesel multiple unit

Derived words

biodiesel dieseldom diesel dyke diesel-electric diesel exhaust diesel exhaust fluid DEF Dieselgate diesel generator diesel-hydraulic dieseline dieselise dieselization dieselisation dieselize diesel laundering diesel loco diesel particulate filter diesel-powered dieselpunk diesel therapy diesel tree diesohol e-diesel electrodiesel green diesel mycodiesel petrodiesel red diesel semidiesel sour diesel suck diesel turbodiesel
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