Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

handbrake

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.54 in modern English

Syllables: hand-brake
IPA

19

Scrabble Score

9

Letters

2

Syllables

8

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A brake in a vehicle, set by hand, and usually locking on until released by hand, enabling its use when parked.

noun

The mechanism, particularly the locking hand-operated lever or foot-operated toggle lever in a motorcar or the hand-operated crank on a railcar, which is used to set and release such a brake.

verb

To apply the handbrake in a vehicle.

Example Sentences

"On arrival at Spiez, the locomotive (No. 206) was immediately uncoupled and drew ahead to enable an Italian through coach from Interlaken to Milan to be loose shunted (with passengers aboard and controlled by means of its handbrake) on to the front of the train."

Etymology

From hand + brake.

Inflected Forms

handbrakes (plural) hand brake (alternative) handbrakes (present, singular) handbraking (participle, present) handbraked (participle, past) handbraked (past)

Phrases

handbrake turn release the handbrake

Synonyms

parking brake

Questions

What does handbrake mean?: A brake in a vehicle, set by hand, and usually locking on until released by hand, enabling its use when parked.
Where does handbrake come from?: From hand + brake.

How to pronounce handbrake

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