wheel

wheel

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Pronunciation

IPA Phonetic Spelling:

• /wiːl/ (General American, Received Pronunciation)

• w - /w/ (as in "we")

• ee - /iː/ (as in "see" or "tree")

• l - /l/ (as in "light")

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Word Form Variations

Noun:

• Singular: wheel

• Plural: wheels

Verb:

• Base form: wheel

• Third person singular present: wheels

• Present participle: wheeling

• Past tense: wheeled

• Past participle: wheeled

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Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms

Noun

1. A circular object that revolves on an axle and is fixed below a vehicle or other object to enable it to move easily over the ground.

• Synonyms: disk, circle, roller, tire (part of the wheel assembly)

• Antonyms: brake (as an opposing force), fixed support

2. A circular steering mechanism in a vehicle or vessel.

• Synonyms: steering wheel, helm (for a ship), control wheel

• Antonyms: (None directly applicable as it's a specific control mechanism)

3. A device or part of a machine that is circular and rotates, often to facilitate movement or generate power.

• Synonyms: cogwheel, gear, pulley, flywheel, turbine

• Antonyms: (None directly applicable as it's a specific mechanical component)

4. A rotating motion or course of action, often indicating a cycle or turning point. (Often in figurative phrases like "the wheel of fortune")

• Synonyms: rotation, revolution, cycle, turn, spin

• Antonyms: stagnation, standstill, linearity

Verb

1. To push or pull (a vehicle with wheels).

• Synonyms: push, pull, roll, trundle, maneuver

• Antonyms: carry, lift, hold stationary

2. To turn around or pivot on an axis or a central point. (Often used with "around" or "about")

• Synonyms: pivot, turn, spin, rotate, revolve, swivel

• Antonyms: stand still, remain fixed, stabilize

3. To move or cause to move in a circular or curving course. (Often refers to birds or vehicles)

• Synonyms: circle, curve, loop, spiral, arc

• Antonyms: go straight, move directly

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Examples of Use

• Books:

• "The wheel of the world is turning, and it will keep turning." (Ursula K. Le Guin, The Farthest Shore, 1972)

• Newspapers:

• "After months of intense debate, the city council finally decided to greenlight the new bike-share program, putting thousands of new wheels on the streets." (The Guardian)

• Online Publications:

• "The latest electric vehicles feature advanced steering wheel controls that integrate seamlessly with driver-assistance systems." (Car and Driver Online)

• Various Entertainment Mediums and Platforms:

• "Alright, who wants to spin the wheel for a chance to win a brand new car?" (Game show host on The Price Is Right, televised 1972-present)

• "I've been wheeling and dealing all day to get these concert tickets for us." (Dialogue in a podcast, "The Hustle Mindset,")

• "The band's new album sees them wheeling back to their classic rock roots." (Music review on Pitchfork)

• General Public Discourse:

• "Could you please grab the spare wheel from the trunk?"

• "The plane seemed to wheel in the sky before landing gracefully."

• "He's the third wheel on our date."

• "Don't reinvent the wheel; use existing solutions."

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10 Quotes Using Wheel

1. "Life is like a wheel. Sooner or later, it always come around to where you started again." (Stephen King)

2. "The wheel is come full circle." (William Shakespeare, King Lear, c. 1606)

3. "The wheel that squeaks the loudest is the one that gets the grease." (Josh Billings)

4. "Don't reinvent the wheel, just realign it." (Anthony J. D'Angelo)

5. "He who puts out his hand to stop the wheel of history will have his fingers crushed." (Lech Walesa)

6. "I see nothing in space as promising as the view from a Ferris wheel." (E. B. White)

7. "Life's a wheel of fortune and it's my chance to spin it." (Tupac Shakur, "Life's a Wheel of Fortune," 1993)

8. "The wheel of fortune turns round incessantly, and who can say to himself, I shall today be uppermost." (Confucius)

9. "There are many spokes on the wheel of life." (Ray Charles)

10. "The guy who invented the first wheel was an idiot. The guy who invented the other three, he was a genius." (Sid Caesar)

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Etymology

The word "wheel" has a very ancient and consistent history, connected to the idea of turning or rolling.

It comes from the Old English word "hwēol" or "hweogol." Even in Old English, this word already referred to a circular object designed to turn on an axle, used for movement or machinery.

Tracing its roots further back, "hwēol" derives from the **Proto-Germanic word "hwehwlaz" or "hweulō," which also meant "wheel." This ancient Germanic term is related to words signifying "to turn" or "to roll."

Even before that, it's believed to stem from the **Proto-Indo-European root "kʷekʷlo-" or "kʷel-," meaning "to turn," "to revolve," or "to move in a circular path." This makes "wheel" a cognate (a word with a common origin) with similar terms in many other Indo-European languages, highlighting its deep, shared linguistic heritage and the fundamental nature of the invention it describes.

So, the first known use of "wheel" in English (in its Old English form "hwēol") appears in texts from as early as the 9th or 10th century. Its original meaning was precisely what we understand today: a circular device that rotates on an axle, used for vehicles or machinery. The word has remained remarkably stable in its fundamental meaning throughout its long history.

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Phrases + Idioms Containing Wheel

Here's a list of phrases and idioms using "wheel":

• Behind the wheel (driving a vehicle; in control)

• Spin one's wheels (to expend effort without making progress)

• Fifth wheel (an unwanted or superfluous person in a group)

• The wheel of fortune (a symbol of destiny and luck's changing nature)

• Don't reinvent the wheel (don't waste time creating something that already exists and works)

• Put a spoke in someone's wheel (to hinder or thwart someone's plans)

• Wheels within wheels (a complex system, often implying hidden or intricate processes)

• Grease the wheels (to facilitate something; to make things run smoothly, often with money)

• On two wheels (riding a bicycle or motorcycle; or, moving very fast)

• Wheel and deal (to engage in clever or sometimes unscrupulous business dealings)

• The big wheel (an important or influential person)

• Crank the wheel (original, similar to "put effort into a process")

• A cog in the wheel (a small but necessary part of a larger system)

• Set the wheels in motion (to start a process or series of events)

• Hot wheels (slang for a fast or impressive car)

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Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA

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Source Information

Definition of wheel from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.

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