noting a machine or vehicle powered by a diesel engine.
diesel locomotive.
of or relating to a diesel engine.
diesel fuel.
a vehicle powered by a diesel engine.
See diesel engine
a ship, locomotive, lorry, etc, driven by a diesel engine
informal short for diesel oil
slang any cola drink
spook and diesel
See suck
After R. Diesel, the engine's inventor
A diesel is a type of engine that produces enough heat to burn fuel and power a vehicle. Most diesels run on very thick, heavy oil. Large trucks use diesels — also known as diesel engines — and so do some cars, trains, and ships. The earliest diesel was developed in the late 19th century, and its invention is credited to the German engineer Rudolph Diesel, although other inventors laid the groundwork with their development of a very similar type of engine.
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"I made a commitment to the House of Commons that we would review the temporary general licence for diesel and jet fuel on a fortnightly basis and lift it as soon as practicable," Bryant said.
From BBC • Jun. 12, 2026
The buzz in Beirut of Israeli drones overhead, along with the constant din of poorly regulated diesel generators, underscores the government’s weakness.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 9, 2026
Indonesia, for instance, planned to replace diesel and coal electricity-generation units with cleaner alternatives, but had been moving slowly.
From Barron's • Jun. 9, 2026
The U.S. stepped up exports of crude and also of products such as diesel, gasoline and jet fuels, with refineries running at the top of their capacity.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 9, 2026
Then he heard on the road behind them what sounded like a diesel truck.
From "The Road" by Cormac McCarthy
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
