Definition of "crankcase" []

• The metal case enclosing the crankshaft and associated parts in a reciprocating engine. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "Such engines, called crankcase-scavenged, are almost universally used in the outboard motor industry."
• "The crankcase is a high-strength aluminum-alloy casting produced in a complex process."
• "The monoblock is mounted on the upper crankcase, which is a common component with all of Lotus 'single-cylinder research engines."