Lathe is a noun for a machine tool that spins a workpiece while a stationary cutting tool shapes it. It can also refer to the device itself used in metalworking and woodworking. The term denotes precision rotational cutting operations and associated workshop equipment in manufacturing and craft contexts.
US: Clear, denasal? No. US: stronger rhotics; UK: more clipped /ɒ/? Not relevant. Let's craft accurate: US / leɪð / - rhoticity not affecting this word; UK / leɪð / with slightly tighter /ð/; AU similar to UK but with more relaxed jaw. Vowel: US often longer vowels in stressed syllables; UK tends to shorter vowels in casual speech; AU neutral, with slight rising intonation after long vowels. IPA references included.
"The machinist set up the lathe to mill the metal rod to exact diameter."
"She practiced on a small wood lathe to craft decorative spindles."
"Turn the lathe slowly and feed the cutting tool evenly to avoid chatter."
"He replaced the lathe’s drive belt to restore smooth operation."
Lathe derives from the Old French lathe, from lathe, which was borrowed from the Latin latum meaning ‘wide’ or ‘bearing part’. The English term appeared in the 16th century, initially denoting a turning device or tool in carpentry and metalworking. By the 18th century, “lathe” referred specifically to machine tools that rotate the workpiece to shape material with a fixed cutting edge. The evolution tracks from simple manual spindles to belt-driven machines, then to precision lathes with follow-on developments like center lathes and turret lathes in the Industrial Age. The word’s semantic field broadened to include various rotating spindle-based devices beyond woodworking, and today it remains a cornerstone term in machining, manufacturing, and DIY craft shops. First known use in English literature appears in mid-1500s technical glossaries, with broader adoption in industrial manuals through the 1700s and 1800s as machines became ubiquitous in workshops.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Lathe" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Lathe" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "Lathe"
-ath sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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Say /leɪð/. The key is a long A vowel /eɪ/ as in ‘face,’ followed by the voiced dental fricative /ð/ as in ‘this.’ Ensure the /l/ is light but clear, with the tongue touching the upper teeth for /ð/. Stress is on the first (and only) syllable. Listen for a smooth glide into /ð/ and avoid turning it into /θ/ or /d/ sounds.
Common errors include replacing /ð/ with /θ/ (thinking of ‘thin’) or with /d/ or /v/ sounds, and compressing the diphthong /eɪ/ to a shorter /e/ or /ɛ/. To fix: keep the tongue blade lightly between the upper and lower teeth for /ð/, and maintain the open-lid mouth shape of /eɪ/ by starting high front and gliding to a mid vowel before releasing into /ð/.
In US, UK, and AU, the /leɪð/ nucleus remains similar, but rhotics and vowel quality vary: US tends to have a clearer /l/ and a slightly tenser /eɪ/; UK often has a slightly shorter /eɪ/ with subtle rounding; AU mirrors UK but can show a more lenient /ð/ with less dental friction. Overall, the main differences are in vowel duration and the strength of the /ð/ fricative rather than core phonemes.
The challenge lies in coordinating the long /eɪ/ vowel with the voiced dental fricative /ð/. The tongue must lightly contact the upper teeth for /ð/ without causing friction or an over-closed mouth. Many learners substitute /ð/ with /d/ or /z/, or shorten the /eɪ/ into a lax vowel. Focused practice on the /ð/ and the glide /eɪ/ will yield a natural, fluent pronunciation.
Lathe ends with /ð/, not /θ/. The presence of voiced vs voiceless distinction matters: /ð/ is voiced, so you should vibrate your vocal cords on the /ð/ release. Ensure the tongue tip remains lightly between teeth until the fricative is released. Avoid finishing with a dental stop like /d/ and keep the airflow steady as you transition from the vowel to the fricative.
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