Horse power

Horse power
Horse power Horse" pow`er 1. The power which a horse exerts. [1913 Webster]

2. (Mach.) A unit of power, used in stating the power required to drive machinery, and in estimating the capabilities of animals or steam engines and other prime movers for doing work. It is the power required for the performance of work at the rate of 33,000 English units of work per minute; hence, it is the power that must be exerted in lifting 33,000 pounds at the rate of one foot per minute, or 550 pounds at the rate of one foot per second, or 55 pounds at the rate of ten feet per second, etc. [1913 Webster]

Note: The power of a draught horse, of average strength, working eight hours per day, is about four fifths of a standard horse power. [1913 Webster]

{Brake horse power}, the net effective power of a prime mover, as a steam engine, water wheel, etc., in horse powers, as shown by a friction brake. See {Friction brake}, under {Friction}.

{Indicated horse power}, the power exerted in the cylinder of an engine, stated in horse powers, estimated from the diameter and speed of the piston, and the mean effective pressure upon it as shown by an indicator. See {Indicator}.

{Nominal horse power} (Steam Engine), a term still sometimes used in England to express certain proportions of cylinder, but having no value as a standard of measurement. [1913 Webster]

3. A machine worked by a horse, for driving other machinery; a horse motor. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • horse power — UK US (plural horse power) (also horsepower) noun [C or U] (ABBREVIATION hp) MEASURES ► a unit used for measuring the power of an engine: »Horse power rates the engine performance of cars and even lawn mowers. »With a 520 horsepower, V12 engine,… …   Financial and business terms

  • horse power — [ ɔʀspɔwœʀ] n. m. invar. ÉTYM. V. 1820; angl. horse power « cheval puissance », de horse « cheval », et power « puissance; pouvoir ». ❖ ♦ Anglic., techn. Unité de puissance adoptée en Angleterre et équivalant à 75,9 kilogrammètres par seconde (→… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • *horse power — ● horse power nom masculin invariable (anglais horse power, puissance de travail d un cheval) Unité de puissance (symbole HP) utilisée en Grande Bretagne, et qui vaut 0,745 7 kW …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Horse-power — (engl., spr. hórs pauer), s. Pferdekraft …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

  • Horse-power — (engl., spr. hohrs pauer), Pferdestärke (s.d.) …   Kleines Konversations-Lexikon

  • horse-power — [ ɔrspɔwɶr ] n. m. inv. • v. 1820; mot angl. « cheval puissance » ♦ Mécan. Unité de puissance adoptée en Grande Bretagne et équivalant à 75,9 kilogrammètres par seconde. ⇒ cheval vapeur. Abrév. (1907) HP [ aʃpe ] …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • horse-power — hor·se po·wer s.m.inv. TS fis. unità di misura della potenza meccanica, corrispondente a 1,014 cavalli vapore (simb. HP, hp) {{line}} {{/line}} DATA: 1860. ETIMO: dall ingl. horse power, comp. di horse cavallo e power potenza …   Dizionario italiano

  • Horse power (machine) — A horse power (also rendered horse power) is a now largely obsolete machine for using draft horses to power other machinery. It is a type of animal engine somewhat more sophisticated than a horse mill. A common design for the horse power was a… …   Wikipedia

  • HORSE-POWER —    the unit of work of a steam engine, being the power to raise 33,000 lbs. one foot in one minute …   The Nuttall Encyclopaedia

  • horse power — unit for measuring the power of engines (equal to 746 watts); unit of the supplier of energy (approximately 760 watts) …   English contemporary dictionary

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