Rotary

[Sarah]

Turning, as a wheel on its axis; pertaining to, or resembling,the motion of a wheel on its axis; rotatory; as, rotary motion.Rotary engine, steam engine in which the continuous rotation of theshaft is produced by the direct action of the steam upon rotatingdevices which serve as pistons, instead of being derived from areciprocating motion, as in the ordinary engine; a steam turbine; --called also rotatory engine.-- Rotary pump, a pump in which the fluid is impelled by rotatingdevices which take the place of reciprocating buckets or pistons.-- Rotary shears, shears, as for cloth, metal, etc., in whichrevolving sharp-edged or sharp-cornered wheels do the cutting.-- Rotary valve, a valve acting by continuous or partial rotation,as in the four-way cock.

[Sarah]

An Internal Combustion engine, popularised my Mazda in its earlier days. Makes distinctive buzzing noise, which can usually be heard from a distance. Uses a chamber with a spinning rotar inside to create driving force, and creats more power than a conventional piston engine for its size. Rotaries also have an annoying tendancy to have very poor fuel economy.

[Sarah]

An circular intersection, known in other parts of the world as a roundabout or traffic circle. By far the best form of intersection, as traffic is seldom required to stop, however the advantages of rotaries are often negated by drivers who are too stupid to properly navigate them.
There are a few rules to rotaries.
#1. Traffic already inside the rotary has right of way.
#2. The outside lane is for taking the first or second exits only. You may not go all the way around the rotary in the outside lane.
#3. The inside lane may be used for going beyond the first two exits.
#4. Once inside the rotary, do not stop. Rotaries are designed so that traffic inside the rotary does not have to stop, if you stop, drivers behind you will not be expecting it, causing the risk of a rear-end collision. If you cannot get to your exit, simply drive around the rotary again.

[Sarah]

A traffic circle. One of Massachusetts' two main contributions to the art of traffic regulation (the other being the red-and-yellow pedestrian-crossing light).

Note: Proper rotaries ah big, typically where several roads (two main roads) come together. They are not to be confused with roundabouts, which are cute, dainty little things used to calm traffic in subdivisions.

I just learned this was a New England thing, who knew.

Usually there are a lot of stores all around it, and like a little green in the center with some memorial.

[Mark Zuckerberg]

(of a machine) having a part that moves around in a circle: