noun
lathe
layth
noun
1
A machine that shapes a piece of wood, metal, or other material by spinning it against a cutting tool.
"He turned the table leg on a lathe."
verb
1
To shape something using a lathe.
"She lathed a set of matching wooden bowls."
How to Use Lathe
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA spinning workshop machine for shaping wood or metal, or the act of shaping something on one.
Common pairings
turn on a lathe
lathe operator
Word Forms
lathed past tense, lathed past tense, lathes plural, lathes plural, lathes singular, lathes singular
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Etymology
Ultimately from Old English laþian ("to invite, summon"); the "turning machine" sense developed later and its exact link to the older word is debated.