[syn: waterwheel, water wheel]
The 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]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
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]