vapor lock
noun
Simple meaning
A problem mostly affecting gasoline-fueled internal combustion engines.
Pronunciation
Say it like this:
vayperlahkSay the bold part a little louder.
IPA pronunciation (US)
ˈveɪpɚˈlɑk
This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.
IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.
Definition
Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.
noun
mechanical engineering
A problem mostly affecting gasoline-fueled internal combustion engines, where the liquid fuel changes state from liquid to gas while still in the fuel delivery system, reducing the pump pressure and causing transient power loss or complete stalling.
Word Aura™
How this word commonly comes across.
This meaning: (mechanical engineering) A problem mostly affecting gasoline-fueled internal combustion engines, where the liquid fuel changes state from liquid to gas while still in the fuel delivery system, reducing the pump pressure and causing transient power loss or complete stalling.
Used this way, vapor lock is a specialist word with a faintly unfavourable edge. It carries more force than its gentler alternatives. This is an engineering use: it is a working term used for accuracy on the job.
- Emotional tone
- Slightly negative
- Formality
- Specialist/technical
- Intensity
- Strong
- How common
- Specialized
- Connotation
- Critical or judgemental
- Usage feel
- Clinical and detached
Where it naturally appears
- Technical/specialist writing
- Science
Usage note
In general conversation this sense usually needs explaining — outside its field, people reach for a plainer word.
Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.
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Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.