wheel 
(/) A bicycle or a tricycle. IColloq.] 
A plucky long man with a fifty-six inch irheel. who 
crowned his etfort with the difficult performance of bring- 
ing his machine to a stand-still before dismounting, and 
holding it so tor several minutes. The Century, XIX. 4i)4. 
(y) In zodl. : (1) The characteristic organ of a wheel-ani- 
malcule ; the trochal disk of a rotifer ; a wheel-organ 
(which see). See cuts under Rotifer, Rotifera, and (ro- 
chal. (2) Some discoid or wheel-shaped calcareous or sili- 
cious concretion, as of an echinoderm or a sponge ; awheel- 
spicule. 
3. A circular course or motion; a whirling 
round; a revolution; rotation; also, a wheel- 
ing, turning, or bending. 
The leed, withouten faile. 
Is, lo, the metal of Saturne, * 
That hath a ful large tvheel to turne. 
Chaucer, House of Fame, 1. 1450. 
Satan, bowing low, . . . 
Throws his steep flight in many an aery wheel. 
Millon, P. L., iii. 741. 
4. A motive power ; in the plural, machinery ; 
hence, a principle of life or motion. 
The wheels of weary life at last stood still. 
Dryden and Lee, (p^dipus, iv. 1- 
That power who bids the ocean ebb and flow, . . . 
Builds life on death, on change duration founds, 
And gives the eternal xcheels to know their rounds. 
Pope, Moral Essays, iii. 168. 
When . . . the heart is sick. 
And all th^d wheels of Being slow. 
Tennyson, In Memoriam, 1. 
burden of a song; a refrain: per- 
allusion to its regular recurrence. 
5t. The 
haps in 
Stftrciis. 
Oph. 
[Sings.] You must sing a-down a-down. 
An you call hima-down-a. 
O, how the wheel becomes it ! 
Shak., Ilaralet, iv. 5. 
172. 
[Prov. 
6. A factory for grinding cutlery. 
Eng.] 
This branch of trade [cutlery grinding) is, in Slieflield, 
conducted in distinct establishments called wheels. 
Encye. Brit., VI. 734. 
7. A dollar. Tufts. [Thieves' jargon.] — 8. In 
embroidery and fancy needlework, an opening, 
not necessarily circular, filled with radiating 
bars or brides of thread, it is acommon form of deco- 
ration for collars and similar washable garments. Some- 
times the radiating lines ai'e interspersed with loops, fes- 
toons, and the like, or are of different lengths, so that a 
part of the opening will be filled with more bauds than 
another part, producing diversity of pattern. 
9. See u-artP, 11. -Adhesion of wheels to rails 
See odAcsioK.— Aerohydrodynamlc wheel. See afm- 
Aydrodi/iiomtc.— Bastard wheel. Sei' fcn.'./nrrf. — Big 
WheeL Sameaslargeirheel. See «;«'n/i/H</-7i'//(yi.— Blank 
Wheel, a wheel having no teeth.— Cardiac wheel See 
cardfa«.— Center-discharge wheel, a turbine in which 
the water enters from the chute to the periphery of the 
buckets, passes inward, and is discharged at the center 
about the axis.— Chilled WheeL See c/(!«i.— Eccentric 
wheel. See eccra«™.— Elliptical wheel. Same as rf- 
Itptual gearimj (which see, under '/rari/iy). — Engaged 
Wheels. See eH7ff/7erf.~Epicycloidal wheel. See ™i- 
cyclmdal (with cut). — Fifth wheel, (a) In mech. See 
}i.fth. (h) Figuratively, something superfluous or useless. 
— Foundling- Wheel, a cylindiical box revolving on an 
upright axis, placed in an aperture in the door or wall of 
a foundling-asylum. It enables any person to confide an 
infant to the care of the asylum without being seen. 
The ruota or .foundlin/j-wheel still exists in 1222 of the 
communes, being freiiuent in the Neapolibin provinces 
and Sidly. Encye. ISrit., .XIII. 44!(, note. 
Impulse-Wheel a form of turljine water-wheel driven 
by the impulse of a jet —Intermittent, internal lapi- 
dary wheel. See the adjectives.— Large WheeL See 
spiiininr/wheel. — hong WheeL a workmen's name for a 
grindstone driven by a belt and a hand-wheel r, or feet 
in diameter, which is turned by a laborer stationed be- 
hind the grinder.— Mansell Wheel, a railroad-wheel in 
which the hub is composed of two wrought- or cast-iron 
rings bolted together. Car-Builder's Diet.— Middle-Shot 
Wheel, inhydraid., a breast-wheel which receives the wa- 
ter at about the middle of its height. See cut under breast- 
wheel. — Multiple Wheel, a form of slosh-wheel. — Multi- 
plying WheeL a form of nuiltiplying gearing; a geared 
wheel for converting slower movement into more rapi<l 
Tnovement. Compare cut under lantern-u'hecl. — 'Sla.ti- 
lated WheeL see mutilated (with cut). — Non-circular 
wheel, a wheel having a perimeter which is not circular, 
but is elliptical, scroll-shaped, hyperbolar, etc. Two such 
wheels are employed for transmitti ng a velocity of variable 
ratio between a pair of parallel axes. E. II. Knv/ht.— 
Persian wheel, a water-lifting wheel ; a bucket-wheel 
or noria ; an apparatus in wliit:h buckets, jars, or Ikix- 
chambers are arranged in a radial position on a large 
wheel, which by its revolution dips the vessels in the 
water, fills them, and raises each in turn to empty its load 
on another level. It is used especially for irrigation. Com- 
pare cut under JionW-— pitch-back Wheel, a form of 
water-wheel in which tlie water, before descending into 
the buckets, is turned at an angle with its cimise in the 
flume : a kind of Ijreast-wheel irj which the water-su])ply 
IS near the top of the wheel.- Potters' wheel. Kcepotterl 
(without).— Savart'S WheeL an acoustical instrument 
consisting of a toothed wheel which can be rapidly rotated 
BO as to strike against a card and produce a tone, the vibra- 
tion-number of which can be accurately determined from 
the number of the revolutions of the wheel. Compare m'rcji 
(with cut).— Saxon WheeL See Kpinnini/.u-heei — Skew 
6S90 
WheeL See «/rewl, 8. — Small Wheel. Heespinnitu/whed. 
-Spiral wheels, in mach., a form of gearing in which the 
teeth are formed upon the circumference of cylinders of 
the retiuired diameter at an angle with their respective 
axes. By this construction the teeth become in fact small 
parts of screws or spirals winding round the cylinders 
(whence the name). Wheels of this kind aie often used 
when the two shafts require to pass each other. When 
the shafts are in the same plane bevel-wheels are em- 
ployed.— Split WheeL See split gear, under «p<«.— Sun- 
and-planet wheels. See suni.—To break a butterfly 
(fly, etc.) upon a (the) wheeL to subject one to a punish- 
ment out of all proportion to the gravity of the offense 
and the importance of the offender; hence, to employ 
great means or exertions for the attainment of trifling 
ends. 
Satire or sense, alas I can Sporus feel. 
Who breaks a butterfiy upon a wheel ? 
Pope, I'rol. to Satires, 1. 30a 
He was sorry . . . for the excellent people, and deplored 
the necessity of breaking mere house-flies on the wheel. 
Dickens, Little Dorrit, ii. 21. 
To break upon the wheel. See break.— TootheA 
wheels. See luotlied.—To put a spoke In one's wheeL 
See spokei.—To put one's shoulder to the wheeL See 
shoiddcr.— To slack over the wheel. See slacki.— To 
steer a trick at the wheel. See sfeeri— Undershot 
wheel. See MHrfcrsAnf.- Variable-speed wheels. See 
oartaWe.— Waved Wheel, in mech., a friction-wheel hav- 
ing a waved or convoluted surface, and imparting a recip- 
rocating motion to an arc or lever pressing against its side. 
E. U. Knigkt.—Wbeel and axle, one of the mechanical 
powers, consisting in its primary form of a cylindrical 
axle on which a wheel, concentric with the axle, is firmly 
fastened. A rope is usually attached to the wheel ; the 
axle is turned by means of a lever; and the rope nets 
as in the pulley — that is, also upon the principle of the 
lever. — Wheel barometer, a modification of the siphon 
barometer. See6aro?ncter. — Wheel couching. See couch- 
ingi, 6.— TVlieel crossbow, a crossbow in which the Ikiw 
IS bent by the revolutions of a wheel acting as a windlass. 
See cut under >«o»(«H(;(.— Wheel-cutting machine, (a) 
A g&ar-cutting machine. (6) A device for dividing a circle 
into any number of equal parts. E. H. Knight. — Wheel- 
facing machine, a machine with adjustable cutters and 
rolls for facing the sides of wheels, making the fellies of 
uniform thickness, and forming a bevel. E. H. Knight. 
—Wheel-finishing machine, a form of slotting-macliine 
for planing off the inner face of locomotive-wheel tires. 
The cutter is carried at the end of a vibrating lever — 
Wheel of life. See zo«ro^.— wheel press, in the man- 
ufacture of locomotives and railway-cars, a powerful 
screw-press or hydraulic press by which wheels are forced 
on to turned bearings of axles with a frictional binding 
stress sufficient to hold them in place firmly without keys, 
set-screws, or other holding devices. — Wheels within 
Wheels, a complication of circumstances, motives, influ- 
ences, etc. Compare Ezek. i. 16. 
It was notorious that, after this secretary retired, the 
king's affairs went backwards; wheds within wheels took 
P'"'^"- Roger North, Lord Guilford, II. 66. 
Wheel tax. See taa;.— Wire WheeL " brush-wheel made 
of wire instead of bristles, used for cleaning and scratch- 
ing metals preparatory to gilding or silvering. E. II. 
Kmght. (See also breast-xcheel, bull-ioheel, catharine-wheel, 
rixj-irheel, crown-wheel, dial-wheel, fiange-wheel, measur- 
ing-wheel, pinwheel.) 
Wheeli (hwel), v. [< ME. "tchelex, whielen, 
liwrolcii; < whcen, «.] I. trans. 1. To cause 
to turn, or to move in a circle ; make to rotate, 
revolve, or change direction. 
So had he seen, in fair Castile, 
The youth in glittering Sfpiadrons start; 
Suddenly the flying jennet tcheel. 
And hurl the unexpected dart. 
Scott, L. of L. M 
The sun gradually wheeled his broad disk down inUi the 
west. Irving, Sketch-Book, p. 438. 
Tlie Sun flies forward to his hrother Sun ; 
The dark Earth follows wheel'd in her ellipse; 
And human things returning on themselves 
Move onward, leading up the golden year. 
Tennyson, Golden Year. 
wheelbarrow 
7. In tanniuff, to submit to the action of a pin- 
wheel. See pinwheel, 2. 
The skins next go into the England wheel vat . . . and 
are wheeled. c. T. Davis, Leather, p. 530. 
8. To shape by means of the wheel, as in pot- 
tery. See letters' wheel (under potter^), and 
throw^, V. t., 2.-9. To break upon the wheel. 
See break. 
II. intrans. 1. To turn on or as on an axis 
or about a center ; rotate ; revolve. 
His Gloiy found 
Thou first Mobile, 
Which mak'st all wheel 
In circle round. Howell, Letters, I. v. 11. 
The moon . . . not once wheeling upon her own center. 
Be^Uley. 
2. To change direction of course, as if moving 
on a pivot or center. 
As he to flight his wheeling car addrest. 
The speedy jav'lin drove from back to breast. 
Pope, Iliad, v. 63. 
Steady ! steady ! the masses of men 
Wheel, and fall in, and wheel again, 
Softly as circles drawn with pen. 
Leigh Uunt, Captain Sword and Captain Pen, ii. 
3. To move in a circular or spiral course. 
Then wheeling down the steep of heaven he flies. 
Pope. 
The poor gold flsh eternally wheeling round his crystal 
"'''"• De Quincey, Secret Societies, ii. 
The swallow wheeled above high up in air. 
William Morris, Earthly Paradise, 1. 15. 
4. To take a circular course ; return upon one's 
steps ; hence, to wander; go out of the straight 
way. 
Spies of the Volsces 
Held me In chase, that I was forced to wheel 
Three or four miles about, else had I, sir. 
Half an hour since brought my report. 
ShaJc., Cot., I. 6. 19. 
5. To travel smoothly; go at a round pace; 
trundle along; roll forward. 
Thunder mix'd with hail. 
Hail mix'd with Are, must rend the Egyptian sky 
And wlwel on the earth, devouring where it rolls. 
Milton, P. L-, xii. 183. 
Through the rough copse wheel thou with hasty stride ; 
I choose to saunter o'er the grassy plain. 
Wordsworth, River Duddon, xxx. 
6. To move on wheels ; specifically, to ride a 
bicycle or tricycle ; travel by means of a bi- 
cycle or tricycle. [Colloq.] 
The sun, gladdened by the sweet air. shone on the fields 
and woods, and the ugly barracks and pretty cott^es by 
which we wheeled. 
J. and E. R. Pennell, Canterbury Pilgrimage on a 
[Tricycle. 
7. To change or reverse one's opinion or course 
of action : frequently with about. 
Being able to advance no further, they are in a fair way 
to wheel about to the other extreme. South. 
To wheel the wild scrub cattle at the yard 
With a running fire of stockwhips and a fiery run of hoofs. 
Contemporary Rev., LII. 40.i. 
2. To convey on wheels orin a vehicle mounted 
on wheels. 
You shall clap her into a post-chaise, . . . wluxl her 
down to Scotland. Colinan, .Jealous Wife, i. 
" Wheel me a little farther," said her ladyship. "They 
will follow." I obeyed her again, and wheeled her away 
from the house with extreme slowness. 
D. Christie Murray, Weaker Vessel, xxxviii. 
3. To make or perform in a circle; give a 
circular direction or form to. 
Now heaven in all her glory shone, and roll'd 
Her motions, as the great first Mover's hand 
First wheel'd their course. Milton, P. L., vii. .'iOl. 
The silvered kite 
In many a whistling circle wheels her flight. 
Wordsicorth, An Evening Walk. 
4. To provide with a wheel or wheels: as, to 
whirl a cart. Imp. Diet.— 5. To cause to move 
on or as on wheels ; rotate ; cause to ttirn : as, 
to wheel a rank of soldiers. 
Let fall the curtains, wheel the sofa round. 
Cowper, Task, iv. 37. 
Of. To turn on a wheel. 
Plato and Aristotle were at a losse. 
And wheel'd about again to spell Christ-Crosse. 
G. Herbert, The Temple, The Church MUitant 
wheel-t, "• An old spelling of wheal^. 
ji. wheel'\ «. See wheal'^. 
wheel'* (hwel), n. An erroneous dialectal form 
of wcel'-i. 
wheelage (hwe'la.i), n. [< whcen + -age.] A 
duty or toll paid for carts, etc., passing over 
certain ground. 
wheel-animal (hwel'an'i-mal), n. A wheel- 
animalcule. 
wheel-animalcule (hweran-i-maF'kiil), «. A 
rotifer. See liotifera (with cut), also cuts un- 
der Flo.irnlaria, Motifer, and trochal. 
wheel-band (hwel'band). «. The tire of a 
wheel. 
Fortune on lofte 
And under eft gan hem to whielen Iwthe. 
Chaucer, Troilus, 
139. 
The chariot tree was drown'd in blood, and th' arches by 
the seat 
Dispurpled from the horses' hoofs, and from the wheel- 
bands' beat. Chapman, Iliad, xi. 466. 
wheel-barometer (hwerba-rom''e-ter), n. See 
bar(}meter. 
wheelbarrow (hwerbar^o), «. [< ME. whel- 
barowc; < wheeU + barrow^.] A barrow with 
one wheel or more, on which it runs. The most 
common form has one wheel in front and two legs at the 
rear on which it rests, and two handles by which a person 
lifts the legs from the ground and carries a part of the 
load, while he pushes forward the vehicle on the wheel. 
Express and railroad barrows have two and often three or 
four wheels, only a small part of the load or none of it 
being carried by the person using the barrow, or truck, as 
it is more commonly called. Barrows of this class are 
commonly made with the wheels toward the middle and 
handles at each end for convenience in using on narrow 
steamboat-landings and station-platforms. 
Carribla, ... a wheel-barroic. Florio. 
My author saith he saw some sixteen or twenty carpen- 
ters at work upon an engine, or carriage, for six mnsketa, 
manageable by one man, and to be crowded before him 
like a wheelbarrow upon wheels. 
Court and Times o/ Charles /., II. 87. 
