Words / B1

MEK-uh-niz-uh-m/ˈmekənɪzəm/

A mechanism is a system of parts that makes something work, or an official way of doing something: an appeal mechanism. Process is a close twin for the official sense. Machine is more physical. Ten-day windows: no mechanism to appeal late.

Meaning

A system of parts that makes something work; also an official way of doing something.

Examples

• “There is no mechanism to appeal after the ten-day window.”
• “The lock mechanism jammed, which is the physical-parts sense.”

Good to know

a mechanism for / to + verb. Close (official): a process. Physical: parts of a machine. Exams / complaints / engineering.

Near in meaning

process

New