gasket
gasket Lexical Profile
gasket Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A shaped piece or ring of material, such as rubber, cork, or metal, used to seal the junction between two mating surfaces to prevent fluid or gas leakage under compression.
"The mechanic had to replace the blown head gasket because it was allowing coolant to leak into the engine cylinders."
A small line or piece of rope used to tie a furled sail to a yard, boom, or gaff on a sailing vessel.
"The sailors worked quickly to secure the gaskets around the heavy canvas before the approaching squall hit the ship."
Word Nuance & Usage
Often encountered in the idiomatic phrase 'blow a gasket', meaning to suddenly lose one's temper, referencing the catastrophic failure of an engine's head gasket.
• Rhymes for gasket
Word Origin & Etymology
Mid 17th century (originally a nautical term for a small rope securing a furled sail): perhaps from French 'garcette', diminutive of 'garce'. It was later applied to ropes used for packing pistons, evolving into its modern mechanical sense in the 19th century.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.