Definition of hydraulic
1 : operated, moved, or effected by means of water
2a : of or relating to hydraulics hydraulic engineerb : of or relating to water or other liquid in motion hydraulic erosion
3 : operated by the resistance offered or the pressure transmitted when a quantity of liquid (such as water or oil) is forced through a comparatively small orifice or through a tube hydraulic brakes
4 : hardening or setting under water hydraulic cement
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Recent Examples of hydraulic from the Web
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Construction management firm Lendlease said the incident occurred after a partial hydraulic failure while the slab was being raised to the 36th level.
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On Wednesday, Fernando Rosales Ortuno, who deals in hydraulic hoses for Parker Hannifin Corp. was pacing the site's perimeter with cellphone pressed to his ear trying to arrange for a trailer to get hauled away.
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Advocates for a ban expect resistance from Sen. Joan Carter Conway (D-Baltimore), who chairs a committee that oversees environmental affairs and has stopped previous attempts to prohibit the drilling technique, also known as hydraulic fracturing.
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A wave of American oil—unlocked by hydraulic-fracturing and horizontal-drilling techniques—sent prices skittering to the lowest prices in over a decade this year, a glut that OPEC and Russia added to with at or near record output.
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A friend taught her how to use a colostomy* bag and a Hoyer Lift, a hydraulic-powered machine that moves patients out of their beds.
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Using an extraction method known as hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, the companies made the United States the world’s leading producer of oil and natural gas.
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Today, thanks to hydraulic fracking and other technological advances, the United States is experiencing a natural gas boom and it is poised to become the world's largest oil producer in five years and a net oil exporter in eighteen.
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The Point Reyes gets high marks for its light, responsive aluminum frame, semislick tires for low resistance, and the Magura Julie hydraulic disc brakes, my favorite part.
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Did You Know?
By means of a hydraulic lift, the driver can lift the bed of a dump truck with the touch of a button. He might also repair the hydraulic steering, the hydraulic brake, or the hydraulic clutch—all of which, like the lift that holds everything up, take advantage of the way liquids act under pressure. Somewhat like a pulley or a lever, a hydraulic system magnifies the effect of moderate pressure exerted over a longer distance into powerful energy for a shorter distance.
Origin and Etymology of hydraulic
Latin hydraulicus, from Greek hydraulikos, from hydraulis hydraulic organ, from hydr- + aulos reed instrument — more at alveolus
First Known Use: 1661
HYDRAULIC Defined for English Language Learners
hydraulic
playDefinition of hydraulic for English Language Learners
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: operated by the pressure of a fluid
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: occurring or used in a hydraulic system
HYDRAULIC Defined for Kids
hydraulic
playDefinition of hydraulic for Students
1 : operated, moved, or brought about by means of water hydraulic pressure
2 : operated by liquid forced through a small hole or through a tube hydraulic brakes
hydraulically
\-li-kə-lē\ adverbLearn More about hydraulic
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Spanish Central: Translation of hydraulic Nglish: Translation of hydraulic for Spanish speakers
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