stem-winder
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Noun:
- A stem-winder: A type of mechanical watch that is wound by turning a small knob (the crown) located on the watch's stem, rather than requiring a separate key.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- My grandfather's antique stem-winder still keeps perfect time.
- Collectors often seek out early 20th-century stem-winders for their craftsmanship.
Advanced Usage
- The term "stem-winder" can be used metaphorically to describe something, especially a speech, that is rousing, energetic, and builds to a powerful finish, by analogy with the winding mechanism. However, this is a separate, figurative meaning.
- The politician delivered a real stem-winder of a speech that energized the entire crowd.
Variants and Related Words
- Stem-winding (adj): Describing a watch that operates via this mechanism.
- He owns a rare stem-winding pocket watch.
Synonyms
- Keyless-wind watch: A more technical synonym.
- Crown-wound watch: A descriptive synonym focusing on the part used to wind it.
Notes on Meaning
- The primary and literal meaning refers specifically to a timepiece and its winding mechanism. The metaphorical meaning, while established, is a distinct figurative extension and not the core definition of the object itself.
Noun
- a watch that is wound by turning a knob at the stem