mechanic

adjective

1. 1

   archaicmechanical; relating to mechanics or the laws of motion in physics

   […] these mechanick Philosophers being in no Way able to give an Account thereof from the necessary motion of Matter, unguided by Mind for Ends […]

2. 2

   archaicmechanical; precise but lifeless, as if performed by machine

   But, for the unquiet heart and brain, ⁠A use in measured language lies; ⁠The sad mechanic exercise, Like dull narcotics, numbing pain.

3. 3

   obsoleteOf or relating to a mechanic or artificer, or to the class of artisans; hence, rude; common; vulgar; base.

   Mechanic slaves, With greasy aprons, rules, and hammers.

   Authors both Sacred and Profane we see complain of the Level of Learning, with Mechanick Ignorance: [...]

   But then they did not wrong themſelves ſo much, / To make a God, a Hero, or a King, / (Stripp'd of his golden Crown and purple Robe) / Deſcend to a Mechanick Dialect, / Nor (to avoid ſuch meanneſs) ſoaring high / With empty ſound, and aiery notions fly; [...]

   Sometimes he ply'd the ſtrong mechanic Tool, / Or rear'd the Fabrick from the fineſt Draught; [...]

noun

1. 1

   historicalA manual worker; a labourer or artisan.

   His noble earnestness, his fidelity, his gallant shielding of her, his generous conquest of his own wrong and his own pride for her sake, are simply honourable, manly, and true. Nothing less worthy can be seen through the lustre of such qualities in the commonest mechanic, nothing less worthy can be seen in the best-born gentleman.

   The lower orders were freer than they had ever been – free […] to choose their own lay preachers, mechanics like the rest of the congregation.

2. 2

   Someone who builds or repairs machinery, a technician; now specifically, someone who works with and repairs the mechanical parts of a motor vehicle, aircraft or similar.

3. 3

   A device, method or means; a function.

4. 4

   A device, method or means; a function. A function, rule or other implementation that dictates gameplay; a ludeme, a feature.

   This game has a mechanic where if you run toward a ledge you automatically jump off rather than just falling.

5. 5

   slangA hitman.

   And from then on, his bag was silence. Silence and killing. Overnight he became the best grunt we had, a real killer, a mechanic.

6. 6

   A cheat who manipulates the cards or dice.

   I can do other things beside burglarizing. I'm a first-class crap dealer, I'm a pretty good card mechanic, pretty good dice mechanic.

   It was so obvious. I mean, all of Nicky's half-assed mechanics, they were real signal happy.

Forms

plural

mechanics