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engineer

Meaning in simple English

US /ˌɛndʒɪˈnɪr/ · UK /ˌendʒɪˈnɪə/

engineer means: Someone whose job is to design, build, or improve machines, buildings, or other technical things.

noun

TECHNICAL EXPERTB1

Someone whose job is to design, build, or improve machines, buildings, or other technical things.

  • My sister is an engineer.
  • The engineers designed a safer bridge.
  • We need an electrical engineer to check the system.

Common phrases: civil engineer, software engineer, electrical engineer

MACHINE EXPERTB2

Someone who designs, builds, or keeps engines and machinery working.

  • The engineer inspected the engine.
  • A marine engineer repaired the ship’s machinery.
  • Our maintenance engineers keep the factory running.

Similar words: hostler

Common phrases: mechanical engineer, marine engineer, maintenance engineer

TRAIN DRIVERB2

Someone whose job is to drive a train.

  • The engineer stopped the train.
  • She worked as a locomotive engineer for years.
  • The engineer saw a red signal ahead.

Similar words: train driver

Common phrases: train engineer, locomotive engineer

EVENTS MANIPULATORC2

Someone who skillfully controls people or events to produce a particular result.

  • He became the political engineer behind the campaign.
  • Social engineers tried to reshape public attitudes.
  • The party’s political engineer planned a surprising alliance.

Similar words: strategist

Common phrases: political engineer, social engineer

verb

DESIGN AND BUILDB2

To use technical knowledge to design, build, or improve something.

  • They engineered a new cooling system.
  • This bridge was engineered to survive strong winds.
  • We need to engineer a practical solution.

How to use it: engineer something to do something (They engineered the device to use less power.)

Similar words: design, construct

Common phrases: engineer a solution, engineer a system, engineer a bridge

CHANGE GENESC1

To change the genes of a living thing or create a particular piece of genetic material.

  • Scientists engineered a new DNA sequence.
  • The crops were genetically engineered to resist disease.
  • They engineered cells that produce a useful protein.

How to use it: engineer something to do something (Scientists engineered bacteria to produce the medicine.)

Similar words: genetically modify

Common phrases: genetically engineer crops, engineer bacteria, engineer a gene

CLEVERLY ARRANGEC1

To cleverly arrange events to achieve a result, often secretly.

  • She engineered a meeting with the director.
  • The prisoners engineered a clever escape.
  • He quietly engineered his rival’s removal from office.

Similar words: arrange, orchestrate, contrive

Common phrases: engineer a victory, engineer an escape, engineer a deal

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