axle

noun ax·le \ ˈak-səl \

Updated on: 10 Apr 2018

Definition of axle

1 a : a pin or shaft on or with which a wheel or pair of wheels revolves

b (1) : a fixed bar or beam with bearings at its ends on which wheels (as of a cart) revolve

(2) : the spindle of such a beam

2 archaic : axis

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Recent Examples of axle from the Web

Good to Go customers with two-axle vehicles currently pay $5 to cross the eastbound bridge.

— walker orenstein, The Seattle Times, "Legislature put lid on tolls as part of Tacoma Narrows Bridge loan," 31 Mar. 2018
Far from just a cosmetic job, the Jeep Sandstorm concept has heavy-duty front and rear Dynatrac 60 axles with a 5.68:1 gear ratio and 17-inch beadlock wheels wrapped with 39.5-inch BFGoodrich Krawler tires.

— andrew wendler, Car and Driver, "Baja Bop: The Jeep Sandstorm Is a Chopped Wrangler Built for High-Speed Desert Abuse," 20 Mar. 2018
The treading then wrapped around the truck’s axle, causing the driver to lose control of the vehicle, according to Florida Today.

— madeline farber, Fox News, "Officers killed in the line of duty in 2018," 14 Mar. 2018
Joliet Patch reported a preliminary investigation by the Illinois State Police revealed that the truck’s wheel rim had become detached from its rear axle causing it to land on Cullen’s windshield.

— alexia fernandez, PEOPLE.com, "Pregnant Mom-of-3 Killed 10 Days Before Due Date When Wheel From Truck Smashes Into Her Windshield," 8 Mar. 2018
Other products made at the Mackie factory -- which was taken over by Delta Pine Products around the 1940s -- included turpentine, axle grease, paint and pine tar.

— mike scott, NOLA.com, "Once upon a time in Covington: The story of the 'heart pine house'," 5 Mar. 2018
Cliff’s Welding, a shop in Phoenix that specializes in trucks and trailers, took the trailer off the axles, installed a custom five-inch-tall steel frame, and reattached the wheels underneath, which brought our clearance up to a foot.

— aaron gulley, Outside Online, "The Essential Tool Kit for Backcountry Trailering," 21 Mar. 2018
The bus' front axle appeared separated from the vehicle and at least two doors to luggage compartments had been ripped off the side.

— amanda watts, CNN, "Bus carrying band students from Texas crashes near the Alabama-Florida line, shutting down I-10," 13 Mar. 2018
The company says ut stiffened the suspension, tweaked the steering, and improved the rear-axle differential by adding a function that distributes torque individually to the wheels on each side.

— kirsten korosec, Fortune, "Bugatti Gave Its Classic Chiron Hypercar A Sporty Makeover," 7 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'axle.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of axle

Middle English axel- (as in axeltre)

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First Known Use: 14th century

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Other Automotive Terms

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AXLE Defined for English Language Learners

axle

noun

Definition of axle for English Language Learners

: a bar on which a wheel or a pair of wheels turns

AXLE Defined for Kids

axle

noun ax·le \ ˈak-səl \

Definition of axle for Students

: a pin or shaft on or with which a wheel or pair of wheels turns

Learn More about axle

Spanish Central: Translation of axle Nglish: Translation of axle for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of axle for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about axle

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axle

Definition of axle

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Origin and Etymology of axle

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AXLE Defined for English Language Learners

axle

Definition of axle for English Language Learners

AXLE Defined for Kids

axle

Definition of axle for Students

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