VALVE

Pronunciation (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does valve mean? 

• VALVE (noun)
  The noun VALVE has 3 senses:

1. a structure in a hollow organ (like the heart) with a flap to insure one-way flow of fluid through it
2. device in a brass wind instrument for varying the length of the air column to alter the pitch of a tone
3. control consisting of a mechanical device for controlling the flow of a fluid

  Familiarity information: VALVE used as a noun is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• VALVE (noun)

Meaning:

A structure in a hollow organ (like the heart) with a flap to insure one-way flow of fluid through it

Classified under:

Nouns denoting body parts

Hypernyms ("valve" is a kind of...):

anatomical structure; bodily structure; body structure; complex body part; structure (a particular complex anatomical part)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "valve"):

cardiac valve; heart valve (a valve to control one-way flow of blood)

valvelet; valvula; valvule (a small valve)

ileocecal valve (valve between the ileum of the small intestine and the cecum of the large intestine; prevents material from flowing back from the large to the small intestine)

Holonyms ("valve" is a part of...):

heart; pump; ticker (the hollow muscular organ located behind the sternum and between the lungs; its rhythmic contractions move the blood through the body)

Meaning:

Device in a brass wind instrument for varying the length of the air column to alter the pitch of a tone

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("valve" is a kind of...):

device (an instrumentality invented for a particular purpose)

Holonyms ("valve" is a part of...):

brass; brass instrument (a wind instrument that consists of a brass tube (usually of variable length) that is blown by means of a cup-shaped or funnel-shaped mouthpiece)

Meaning:

Control consisting of a mechanical device for controlling the flow of a fluid

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("valve" is a kind of...):

control; controller (a mechanism that controls the operation of a machine)

Meronyms (parts of "valve"):

handwheel (control consisting of a wheel whose rim serves as the handle by which a part is operated)

handwheel (a wheel worked by hand)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "valve"):

accelerator; throttle; throttle valve (a valve that regulates the supply of fuel to the engine)

slide valve (valve that opens and closes a passageway by sliding over a port)

escape; escape cock; escape valve; relief valve; safety valve (a valve in a container in which pressure can build up (as a steam boiler); it opens automatically when the pressure reaches a dangerous level)

poppet; poppet valve (a mushroom-shaped valve that rises perpendicular from its seat; commonly used in internal-combustion engines)

intake valve (a valve that controls the flow of fluid through an intake)

exhaust valve (a valve through which burned gases from a cylinder escape into the exhaust manifold)

clack; clack valve; clapper valve (a simple valve with a hinge on one side; allows fluid to flow in only one direction)

choke (a valve that controls the flow of air into the carburetor of a gasoline engine)

butterfly valve (a valve in a carburetor that consists of a disc that turns and acts as a throttle)

ball valve (any valve that checks flow by the seating of a ball)