impactor
impactor — noun
1. a tool or machine that delivers a forceful blow to shape, break, or move an obje
a tool or machine that delivers a forceful blow to shape, break, or move an object — for example, a pile driver driving steel beams into the ground, or a forging hammer shaping hot metal.
The construction crew used a steam-powered impactor to drive steel piles into the riverbed.
collocation: steam-powered / hydraulic / pneumatic impactor
Ilan checked the impactor's piston assembly before every shift to prevent costly breakdowns.
Unlike a manual sledgehammer, a pneumatic impactor delivers fast, powerful strikes without human effort.
Stephanie wore ear protection because the impactor's repeated blows were extremely loud inside the workshop.
The factory replaced its old press with a hydraulic impactor for shaping car panels.
- hammer
general term for any striking tool; impactor usually implies a powered, industrial machine
- pile driver
specific type of impactor used in construction to drive piles
- ram
a moving part that delivers the blow inside an impactor mechanism
- forging press
a machine that shapes metal by applying pressure, related but not always impact-based
用法筆記
Often modified by pneumatic, hydraulic, steam-powered, or mechanical to indicate the power source. The term is most common in construction, metalworking, and mining contexts.
常見錯誤
2. a piece of rock or metal from outer space that strikes the surface of a planet,
a piece of rock or metal from outer space that strikes the surface of a planet, moon, or other celestial body.
The vast crater in Namibia was formed by a massive iron impactor long ago.
collocation: iron impactor / massive impactor
Geologists determined the rock was an impactor from the main asteroid belt.
Scientists study the minerals inside each new impactor to learn about the early solar system.
Dewi's team traced the impactor's origin to a collision between two asteroids.
- meteorite
the most common synonym; impactor is more technical and emphasizes the collision event
- projectile
broader term for any object thrown or fired; does not specifically imply a space origin
用法筆記
Distinguish from meteor (the visible streak of light in the sky) and meteoroid (a small rock in space before it enters an atmosphere). An impactor is the object that actually collides with a surface.