What does hydraulic mean?
Word: Hydraulic
Part of Speech: Adjective
Meaning: Hydraulic means worked by the pressure of water, oil or another liquid pushed through pipes.
Word origin: Comes through Latin from Greek, joining the Greek words for water and for a pipe.
How do you spell hydraulic?
Syllables: hy - drau - lic
Tricky part: The "aw" sound in the middle is spelt au, so students who write what they hear put hydrolic or hydrawlic.
Watch out for: hydrolic, hydrawlic, hydraulick
Memory tip: Hydraulic machines haul heavy loads, and haul gives you the au for the "aw" sound.
Hydraulic in a sentence
Example 1: The barber pressed the pedal, and the hydraulic chair rose a few inches.
Example 2: A hydraulic press squeezes old cans into flat blocks for recycling.
Example 3: Our science teacher built a model hydraulic arm with syringes and coloured water.
Fun Fact
Most car brakes are hydraulic: pressing the pedal pushes brake fluid along thin pipes to every wheel.
Practise the CREST Way
Spellacadabra
Choose the correct option to make a meaningful word:
h_ _ _aulic
a) idr
b) edr
c) ydr
d) yrd
Show answer
c) ydr. Hydraulic opens like hydrant, with hy and then dr.
Jumble Tumble
Choose the correct sequence of the jumbled letters to form a meaningful word:
ulchiadry 123456789
a) 947861253
b) 497861253
c) 497861523
d) 497168253
Show answer
b) 497861253. These positions put the letters back together as hydraulic.
Word Puzzle
Match the words with their meanings:
1. hydraulic 2. pneumatic 3. acoustic a. run on compressed air b. to do with sound and hearing c. run on fluid forced along narrow tubes
a) 1-b, 2-a, 3-c
b) 1-a, 2-c, 3-b
c) 1-c, 2-b, 3-a
d) 1-c, 2-a, 3-b
Show answer
d) 1-c, 2-a, 3-b. Hydraulic tools use liquid, pneumatic drills use air, and acoustic guitars are all about sound.
Word Tally
Score 2 marks for each correctly spelt word. How many marks in all?
hydraulic, cylender, lever, piston, nozzel, pulley
a) 4
b) 8
c) 6
d) 10
Show answer
b) 8. Cylinder and nozzle are misspelt, so four words score 2 marks each.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Which of these places relies on hydraulic machines most often?
a) a car repair garage
b) a reading room
c) a music classroom
d) a painting studio
Show answer
a) a car repair garage
2. A hydraulic lift sinks slowly, and a dark puddle forms beneath it. What is the most likely fault?
a) a loose screw on its cover
b) a worn tyre on its trolley
c) a flat battery in its remote
d) a leak in its oil line
Show answer
d) a leak in its oil line
