tyre

tyre — noun

1. a round rubber cover that fits onto the outer rim of a vehicle's wheel and is us

1.nounA2
Definition

a round rubber cover that fits onto the outer rim of a vehicle's wheel and is usually filled with air, giving the wheel grip on the road and making the ride smoother

Example

Mauricio stopped when his front tyre went flat during the morning drive.

collocation: flat tyre

The mechanic checked the tyre pressure on Liang's car and said all four were low.

collocation: tyre pressure

Common collocations
  • flat tyre
  • spare tyre
  • tyre pressure
  • tyre tread
  • puncture a tyre
  • change a tyre
  • front / rear tyre
  • bald tyre
Synonyms
  • tire

    identical meaning, US spelling only

Usage Note

This is the British spelling; the US spelling is 'tire'. The word is always written 'tyre' in British, Australian, and New Zealand English.

Common Mistakes

I need to buy a new tire for my car.' (in British English)
I need to buy a new tyre for my car.
'tire' is the US spelling; British English uses 'tyre'. The US spelling 'tire' is also the verb meaning 'to become weary'.
Idioms

kick the tyres

idiom

to examine or test the quality of something, especially a vehicle or a large purchase, before deciding whether to buy it

Brooke spent the whole morning kicking the tyres of different used cars at the dealership.

Before committing to the software package, the manager wanted to kick the tyres and test it on a small team first.

Tyre

idiom

an ancient port city on the Mediterranean coast of what is now Lebanon; it was the most important city and trading centre of ancient Phoenicia

Tyre was famous throughout the ancient world for its purple dye and its skilled sailors.

Word family

  • tire
    nounA2
  • tyred
    adjectiveB2

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • set of tyres
  • pair of tyres

Prepositions

Etymology

Old FrenchMiddle EnglishEnglish

The word 'tyre' is a shortened form of 'attire', originally meaning the 'dressing' or covering of a wheel. It came into English from Old French 'tirer' (to draw, pull). The spelling 'tyre' became standard in British English during the 1800s, while American English kept the older spelling 'tire' (which also developed a separate meaning — 'to become weary'). The two words — the vehicle tyre and the verb 'to tire' — are not historically related despite sharing the same spelling in US English.