water wheel

2 definitions found

water wheel - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Water wheel \Wa"ter wheel`\
     1. Any wheel for propelling machinery or for other purposes,
        that is made to rotate by the direct action of water; --
        called an overshot wheel when the water is applied at
        the top, an undershot wheel when at the bottom, a
        breast wheel when at an intermediate point; other forms
        are called reaction wheel, vortex wheel, turbine  wheel
        , etc.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. The paddle wheel of a steam vessel.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. A wheel for raising water; a noria, or the like.
        [1913 Webster]

water wheel - WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005) :

  water wheel
      n 1: a wheel with buckets attached to its rim; raises water from
           a stream or pond [syn: waterwheel, water wheel]
      2: a wheel that rotates by direct action of water; a simple
         turbine [syn: waterwheel, water wheel]