power loom
Definition
Noun: A power loom is a mechanized weaving machine. It is a type of loom that is operated by a power source (such as steam, water, or electricity) rather than by human hand, enabling the automated and rapid production of textiles like cloth and fabric.
Usage
The term "power loom" specifically refers to the mechanized machine itself. It is used when discussing industrial history, textile manufacturing, and technological innovation. - The invention of the power loom revolutionized the textile industry during the Industrial Revolution. - The factory installed several new power looms to increase production capacity.
Advanced Usage
- Historical Context: The term is often used in historical and economic discussions about industrialization, labor shifts, and the rise of factories.
- The introduction of the power loom led to significant social and economic changes, including the Luddite protests.
Variants and Related Words
- Loom (n): The broader category of devices for weaving yarn or thread into fabric. A power loom is a specific type of loom.
- Handloom (n): A non-mechanized loom operated manually, often contrasted with a power loom.
- Weaving (n): The process of making fabric on a loom.
- Textile machinery (n): The general category of machines used in fabric production, which includes the power loom.
Synonyms
- Mechanized loom
- Automatic loom
Related Phrases/Compounds
- Power loom industry: Refers to the sector of manufacturing focused on these machines or using them.
- The city became a center for the power loom industry in the 19th century.
- Power-loom weaver: A person who operates or oversees power looms (Note: This is a compound noun using "power loom" as a modifier).
- Her grandfather was a power-loom weaver in a cotton mill.
Noun
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a loom operated mechanically
