motor-cycle

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A "motor-cycle" is a two-wheeled motor vehicle, typically powered by an internal combustion engine, designed for one or two riders. It is distinguished from other vehicles by its light weight, agility, and use on roads or off-road terrain.
   • In formal usage, "motor-cycle" is often hyphenated, though "motorcycle" (without hyphen) is more common in contemporary English.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • He rode his motor-cycle across the country for a charity event. (A two-wheeled motor vehicle used for travel.)
  • The police officer chased the thief on a high-speed motor-cycle. (A motor vehicle used in pursuit.)

Advanced Usage

• "to ride a motor-cycle": to operate or travel on a motor-cycle.

  • She learned to ride a motor-cycle at a young age. (She acquired the skill of operating a two-wheeled motor vehicle.)

• "motor-cycle accident": an incident involving a motor-cycle, often causing injury or damage.

  • The motor-cycle accident on the highway resulted in heavy traffic. (A collision or mishap involving a motor-cycle.)

Variants and Related Words

• Motorcycle (n): the more common spelling without the hyphen.
  • He parked his motorcycle in the garage. (A two-wheeled motor vehicle.)
• Motorcyclist (n): a person who rides a motor-cycle.
  • The motorcyclist wore a helmet for safety. (A rider of a motor-cycle.)
• Motorbike (n): an informal term for a motor-cycle, often used for smaller or lighter models.
  • She commutes to work on her motorbike. (A small motor-cycle.)

Synonyms

• Bike: a casual term for a motor-cycle.
  • He bought a new bike last week. (A motor-cycle.)
• Two-wheeler: a general term for any vehicle with two wheels, including motor-cycles.
  • The store sells both bicycles and two-wheelers. (Vehicles with two wheels.)

Phrasal Verbs

• "to motor-cycle around": to travel or explore using a motor-cycle.
  • They plan to motor-cycle around Europe this summer. (To travel by motor-cycle.)
• "to motor-cycle off": to depart quickly on a motor-cycle.
  • He motor-cycled off before I could say goodbye. (Left abruptly on a motor-cycle.)

Related Idioms

• "to live on a motor-cycle": to be constantly traveling or moving, often implying a nomadic lifestyle.
  • After retiring, he lived on a motor-cycle, exploring remote roads. (He spent most of his time traveling by motor-cycle.)
• "to kick-start a motor-cycle": to start the engine of a motor-cycle by using a kick-start mechanism; also used metaphorically to mean to initiate something forcefully.
  • He had to kick-start the motor-cycle because the battery was dead. (To start the engine manually.)
  • The new policy helped kick-start the economy. (To initiate or revive something.)