noun
wheel
weel
noun
1
A circular object that turns on a central axis, used for movement or to power machinery.
"The car's front wheel hit a pothole."
"She spun the potter's wheel to shape the clay."
2
The steering wheel of a vehicle, or figuratively, control over something.
"He's been behind the wheel for six hours straight."
"She took the wheel of the family business after her father retired."
verb
1
To push or move something that has wheels.
"The nurse wheeled the patient into the operating room."
2
To turn or change direction sharply.
"He wheeled around when he heard his name called."
How to Use Wheel
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA round device that rotates to allow movement, or figuratively, to hold control (as in "behind the wheel").
Common mistake
Don't confuse with "wheal" (a skin bump) or "weal" — all are pronounced the same.
Easily confused with
wheal →
weal
Common pairings
steering wheel
behind the wheel
wheel of fortune
a big wheel
Word Forms
wheeled past tense, wheels plural, wheels singular
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The car's front _____ hit a pothole.
Etymology
From Old English hwēol, from a Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to turn" — repeated to describe something that "turns and turns."