intake

n. taking in; opening through which fluid is taken in (i.e. mouth of a pipe); process of taking food or other substances into the body via the mouth, consumption; something which is taken in or received; amount that is taken in; narrowing, contraction

An intake is an air intake for an engine. Because the modern internal combustion engine is in essence a powerful air pump, like the exhaust system on an engine, the intake must be carefully engineered and tuned to provide the greatest efficiency and power. An ideal intake system should increase the velocity of the air until it travels in to the combustion chamber, while minimizing turbulence and restriction of flow. This is usually accomplished by flow testing on a flow bench in the port design stage. Cars with turbochargers or superchargers which provide a pressurized intake system, usually have extensive tweaking of the intake system to improve performance dramatically.
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Noun
1. the process of taking food into the body through the mouth (as by eating)
(synonym) consumption, ingestion, uptake
(hypernym) bodily process, body process, bodily function, activity
(hyponym) eating, feeding
2. an opening through which fluid is admitted to a tube or container
(hypernym) opening
(hyponym) air horn

(n.)
The quantity taken in; as, the intake of air.
  

(n.)
The place where water or air is taken into a pipe or conduit; -- opposed to outlet.
  

(n.)
the beginning of a contraction or narrowing in a tube or cylinder.
  

      aitken