Words / B1

SOH-ingm-uh-sheen/ˈsəʊɪŋ məˌʃiːn/

A sewing machine (id: sewing-machine) stitches cloth with a needle and thread. A needle is used by hand; an overlocker is a specialist machine. Textiles: the sewing machine is staff-inducted; a needle on the floor still goes in the accident book.

Meaning

A machine that stitches cloth with a needle and thread.

Examples

• “The sewing machine in textiles is staff-inducted; a needle on the floor still goes in the accident book.”
• “A sewing-machine foot is not a toy; running it without fabric still snaps the needle.”

Good to know

a sewing machine. Contrast: a hand needle / an overlocker. Textiles. Countable machines. Mix-up: sewing is the craft; the machine is the powered stitcher.

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