an arrangement of wheels in a machine, esp a train of gears
wheelwork in American English
(ˈhwilˌwɜrk; ˈwilˌwɜrk)
noun
an arrangement of wheels or gears in a machine or mechanical contrivance
wheelwork in American English
(ˈhwilˌwɜːrk, ˈwil-)
noun
a train of gears, as in a timepiece
Word origin
[1660–70; wheel + work]This word is first recorded in the period 1660–70. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: adhesive, ballet, joke, saturated, vocalize