Definition of cylinder
1 a
: the surface traced by a straight line moving parallel to a fixed straight line and intersecting a fixed planar closed curve
b
: a solid or surface bounded by a cylinder and two parallel planes cutting all its elements;
especially
: right circular cylinder — see Volume Formulas Table
2
: a cylindrical body or space: such as
a
: the turning chambered breech of a revolver
b (1)
: the piston chamber in an engine
(2)
: a chamber in a pump from which the piston expels the fluid
c
: any of various rotating members in a press (such as a printing press);
especially
: one that impresses paper on an inked form
d
: a cylindrical clay object inscribed with cuneiform inscriptions
—
on all cylinders
: with maximum effort or intensity : at full capacity or speed
- the economy is running on all cylinders
