diesel

plural diesels

1. countableuncountableA fuel derived from petroleum (or other oils) but heavier than gasoline/petrol. Used to power diesel engines which burn this fuel using the heat produced when air is compressed.

   They were chagrined to see that the price of diesel had climbed past six dollars a gallon.

   Synonyms: diesel fuel, DFO

2. countableA vehicle powered by a diesel engine.

   His next truck will be a diesel.

   2 more examples

   A group of overalled men at one of the dozen stained crueted tables looked up briefly as they came in and then resumed their low conversation. Relief crews for the Diesels, Bond guessed.

   1954, Ian Fleming, “The Everglades”, in Live and Let Die, London: Pan Books, published 1957, page 119

   1959, Steam's Finest Hour, edited by David P. Morgan, Kalmbach Publishing Co., referring to Mexico's last new steam locomotives. Their effective service life was cut short by an almost simultaneous switch to diesels - a circumstance shared with many an engine north of the border.

3. abbreviationcountableellipsisuncountableEllipsis of diesel engine.

   Their next engine design will be a diesel.

   1 more example

   Thumbed a diesel down, outside a cafe.

   1980, Kye Fleming and Fred Foster, ""Smoky Mountain Rain"

4. countableslanguncountablecyclingA rider who has an even energy output, without bursts of speed.
5. UKcountableslanguncountableSynonym of snakebite and black.

   Synonyms: snakebite and black

6. countableslanguncountableA particular cannabis hybrid.

present singular third person diesels · US participle present dieseling · UK participle present dieselling · US participle past dieseled · US past dieseled · UK participle past dieselled · UK past dieselled

1. To ignite a substance by using the heat generated by compression.
2. automotiveFor a spark-ignition internal combustion engine to continue running after the electrical current to the spark plugs has been turned off. This occurs when there's enough heat in the combustion chamber to ignite the air and fuel mixture without a spark, the same way that heat and pressure cause ignition in a diesel engine.

   The only reason the VW bug has a solenoid is to prevent it from dieseling.