short block

noun

An engine subassembly comprising the portion of the cylinder block below the cylinder head gasket but above the oil pan (and including neither).

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Meanings

nounshort block (plural short blocks)

plural short blocks

  1. automotiveAn engine subassembly comprising the portion of the cylinder block below the cylinder head gasket but above the oil pan (and including neither).

Origin

From the smaller size of the engine block assembly compared to a long block.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

short block. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/short%20block

MLA

“short block.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/short%20block. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “short block,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/short%20block.

Source: short block on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.