camber
/'kæmbə/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun:
- A slight upward curve or arch in a surface: A gentle convex shape, especially in a horizontal surface like a road, deck, or beam.
- The alignment of a vehicle's wheels: The angle at which a wheel is tilted relative to the vertical axis, typically with the top leaning outward (positive camber) or inward (negative camber).
- A slope on a curved road or track: The banking or incline where the outer edge is higher than the inner edge to counteract centrifugal force.
Verb:
- To curve or arch upward in the middle: To have or cause to have a slightly convex shape.
Examples of Usage
Noun:
- The road has a slight camber to allow rainwater to drain off.
- The mechanic adjusted the front wheel camber to improve the car's handling.
- The racetrack's steep camber helps cars maintain speed through the turns.
Verb:
- The old wooden floorboards cambered in the center over the years.
- The bridge is designed to camber slightly under load.
Advanced Usage
"Positive camber": A wheel alignment where the top of the wheel tilts away from the vehicle.
- Positive camber is often used on heavy vehicles for stability.
"Negative camber": A wheel alignment where the top of the wheel tilts toward the vehicle.
- Performance cars often use negative camber to improve cornering grip.
"Camber angle": The specific angle of the wheel's tilt, measured in degrees.
- A camber angle of more than two degrees can cause uneven tire wear.
Variants and Related Words
Cambered (adj): Having a camber; arched or curved.
- The cambered beam provided extra strength.
Cambering (n/gerund): The action or process of creating a camber.
- The cambering of the steel beam was done with precision.
Synonyms
- Arch: A curved symmetrical structure or shape.
- Curve: A line or surface that deviates from being straight.
- Banking: The slope given to a road or track on a curve.
- Convexity: The state of having a surface that curves outward.
Related Phrases
To have a camber: To possess a curved shape.
- The deck should have a camber for proper drainage.
To set the camber: To adjust the camber angle of a wheel.
- We need to set the camber before the race.
Related Idioms
(Note: "Camber" is a technical term and is not commonly used in idiomatic expressions.)
Noun
- the alignment of the wheels of a motor vehicle closer together at the bottom than at the top
- a slope in the turn of a road or track; the outside is higher than the inside in order to reduce the effects of centrifugal force
- a slight convexity (as of the surface of a road)
Verb
- curve upward in the middle