hub

/hʌb/

Thân thiện

The airport is the economic hub of the region.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A center of activity, interest, commerce, or transportation; a focal point: A hub is a central and most important place where there is a lot of activity or where particular activities are coordinated.
   • The central part of a wheel, fan, or propeller: In mechanics, a hub is the central part of a rotating device (like a wheel) that connects to the axle or shaft.

Usage Examples

• As a center of activity:

  • The city's main square is the social hub, always full of people.
  • The new innovation district aims to become a hub for tech startups.
  • The kitchen is the hub of activity in our home during the holidays.

• As a mechanical part:

  • The mechanic replaced the damaged hub of the bicycle wheel.
  • Ensure the propeller hub is securely fastened before starting the engine.

Advanced Usage

• "At the hub of": Being the central and most important part of something.
  • She found herself at the hub of the company's restructuring efforts.
• "Hub-and-spoke system": A transportation system where traffic moves along spokes connected to a central hub.
  • Many airlines use a hub-and-spoke model, with major airports like Atlanta or Dubai as their hubs.

Variants and Related Words

• Hubby (noun): An informal, affectionate term for "husband." (Note: This is a separate, colloquial word, not a variant of "hub").
• Hubless (adjective): Describing a wheel (especially on motorcycles) that appears to have no central hub, as the braking mechanism is on the rim.

Synonyms

• Center: The middle point or main area of activity.
• Core: The central or most important part.
• Nucleus: A central part around which other parts are collected.
• Focal point: The center of interest or activity.
• Pivot: A central point, pin, or shaft on which a mechanism turns or oscillates.

Related Phrases

• Hub of the universe: (Idiomatic, often humorous or ironic) A place considered to be the most important center of activity.
  • He acts like his tiny office is the hub of the universe.

Notes on Meaning

The word "hub" powerfully combines a literal, physical meaning (the center of a wheel) with a very common figurative meaning (a center of activity). The figurative sense derives from the idea that all "spokes" of activity lead to and from this central point.

Học thuật

Noun

1. a center of activity or interest or commerce or transportation; a focal point around which events revolve
   • the playground is the hub of parental supervision
   • the airport is the economic hub of the area
2. the central part of a car wheel (or fan or propeller etc) through which the shaft or axle passes