adaptor

«adaptor» in Mova's school dictionary: a small device that lets you connect a plug or cable to a… — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples, with 4 sentences of Mova's corpora that use it.

part of speech

noun (adaptor, adaptors; also spelled adapter)

meaning for a pupil

1) An adaptor is a small device that lets you connect a plug or cable to a different kind of socket. tree →

2) An adaptor is something that changes a thing so it fits or works with another thing. tree →

sense in the lessons

In everyday life travellers need a travel adaptor because plugs are different in the UK, Ireland, the USA, Australia and Europe. Phone chargers and computers use adaptors. In safety lessons: do not plug too many things into one adaptor, because it can overheat and start a fire. Phrases: travel adaptor, plug adaptor, power adaptor.

examples

• We need an adaptor to use our charger in Spain. tree →
• Dad bought a travel adaptor at the airport. tree →
• The adaptor changes a UK plug to fit a US socket. tree →
• Don't plug too many things into one adaptor. tree →
• My laptop has a power adaptor. tree →
• This adaptor lets old headphones fit the new phone. tree →
• The adaptor got hot, so Mum unplugged it. tree →

note

Countable noun. Both spellings are correct: «adaptor» is more common in British English for the device, «adapter» in American English. Comes from «adapt» (to change to fit). Safety: an overloaded adaptor can overheat — never plug adaptors into adaptors.

In the corpora

• Plugs are different around the world, so travellers use a proper travel adaptor instead of forcing a plug in.
• Abroad, you use a proper travel adaptor rather than forcing a plug.
• On holiday use a proper travel adaptor and never force a plug.
• Forcing a plug into the wrong socket can damage it and cause an electric shock; use a proper travel adaptor.

Trees and pragmatics

Every meaning and example of «adaptor» parsed by Mova, each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.