4. A combination of persons acting together for a common purpose, with
the agencies which they use; as, the social machine.
The whole machine of government ought not to bear upon the people
with a weight so heavy and oppressive.
Landor.
5. A political organization arranged and controlled by one or more
leaders for selfish, private or partisan ends. [Political Cant]
6. Supernatural agency in a poem, or a superhuman being introduced to
perform some exploit. Addison.
Elementary machine, a name sometimes given to one of the simple
mechanical powers. See under Mechanical. -- Infernal machine. See under
Infernal. -- Machine gun.See under Gun. -- Machine screw, a screw or
bolt adapted for screwing into metal, in distinction from one which is
designed especially to be screwed into wood. -- Machine shop, a
workshop where machines are made, or where metal is shaped by cutting,
filing, turning, etc. -- Machine tool, a machine for cutting or shaping
wood, metal, etc., by means of a tool; especially, a machine, as a
lathe, planer, drilling machine, etc., designed for a more or less
general use in a machine shop, in distinction from a machine for
producing a special article as in manufacturing. -- Machine twist,
silken thread especially adapted for use in a sewing machine. --
Machine work, work done by a machine, in contradistinction to that done
by hand labor.
Ma*chine", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Machined (?); p. pr. & vb. n.
Machining.] To subject to the action of machinery; to effect by aid of
machinery; to print with a printing machine.