babbitt
/ˈbæbɪt/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.59 in modern English
13
Scrabble Score
7
Letters
2
Syllables
4
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
Ellipsis of babbitt metal or Babbitt metal (“a soft white alloy of variable composition used in bearings to diminish friction”).
Countable; Uncountable
noun
Alternative letter-case form of Babbitt (“a person who subscribes complacently to materialistic middle-class ideals”).
American usage; Dated
noun
A person who subscribes complacently to materialistic middle-class ideals.
American usage; Dated
Example Sentences
- "Running while low on oil had galled the babbitt."
- "Figure 2 represents a top plan of the "Babbitting" jig, placed in or upon a cast-iron frame, preparatory to the pouring or casting of the "Babbitt" or other soft metal on to or around its journals, to form journal bearings in said cast-iron frame."
- "Remove all sharp edges from the babbitt with a chisel or file and try the shaft after removing the paper wrapping for a fit. If a light coat of oil mixed with lampblack be smeared on the shaft and the shaft revolved, the lampblack will catch on the high points of the babbitt, then by removing the shaft and scraping off these high spots a good bearing can be produced."
- "Coins made from nickel babbitt are fairly hard and give a clear bright ring. This makes it easier to pass them due to the widespread belief that a sure test of a counterfeit coin is to drop it on a hard surface to see if it will "ring". […] The simplest test is to cut the edge of a suspected coin with a pocket knife. If it is made of babbitt the metal will pare off quite easily."
- "The cross-head is cast of crucible steel and faced with Babbitt. […] The rod is secured to the crank pin by body bound bolts, this bearing being provided with Babbitt shells which are prevented from turning by paper liners extending to the pin."
- "Perhaps the most familiar soft bearing alloys are the babbitts. These have been in use since the early 19th century when printer's type metal was utilized for machinery by casting it into holes drilled in iron housings. […] Babbitt or whitemetal bearing materials represent a class of alloys developed specifically for bearing applications."
Etymology
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˈbæbɪt/
- British English: /ˈbæbɪt/
Usage
- Countable
- Uncountable
- Transitive verb
- American usage
- Dated