0

I can't understand the meaning of «bracket» in this sentence. A mechanic is fixing a car whose filter is broken. Here is the complete text (it's an american novel):

She unscrewed the cap of the relief fitting and put a shop towel over it to catch the gas that leaked out when she pressed the valve. When the lines were bled, she stuffed the towel into her back pocket and went to her toolbox to grab the 16mm and 19mm wrenches and the quick- disconnect tool. Then, with an athletic jump, she disappeared into the yellow-framed pit so she could work from underneath. She removed the bracket, released the snaplock fitting, and pulled the rubber hose off the outlet side of the filter first to keep the fuel from dripping in her eyes.

Improve this question

2 Answers 2

Reset to default
1

It seems to me that the definitions for bracket in most dictionaries are incomplete, as the word has many different uses. Collins dictionary seems to have the most comprehensive entry, but I would add one more:

bracket (n): A strut, made of some sturdy material (like metal, wood, fiberglass, etc.) designed to brace some other part, and keep it from moving around.

Automotive brackets come in many shapes and sizes, as they are designed to hold a wide range of parts in a wide variety of automobiles:

http://www.mcalpin-ind.com/images/Steel_Canister_Bracket_Assembly65.jpg enter image description hereenter image description here

In this particular case, all it means is that the mechanic removed the metal part that held some mechanism in place, in order to get access to that mechanism. I'm not an expert on automobile engines so I couldn't say what part she was working on -- my guess is the intake valve, but I don't know why she'd have to get under the car to get to it.

Improve this answer
2

Well, I'm not a mechanic but brackets are angles that help two joints keep intact.

Generally, brackets are like this.

bracket

Now, in the context of car parts, it could be a similar thing. What is important here is to understand that brackets are not parenthesis! It's a jargon and not in terms of language.

Snaplock for cars and vans is like this:

snaplock for cars

I'm not sure which specific bracket is referred there but it should be something like what is shown in the picture.

Improve this answer
1
  • "Bracket" actually has about 10-12 loosely related idiomatic definitions, ranging from punctuation to artillery techniques. I wouldn't really call it jargon as it's not just a term used with vehicle design -- a bracket can be used to hold any part in place, on any device that needs one. The brackets in your picture look like they're designed to hold oars, not engine parts, but it's more or less the same concept.
    – Andrew
    Commented Oct 23, 2018 at 14:39

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .