Acme

See also: acme, ACME, and acmé

English

Alternative forms

• ACME (fitting or company)
• acme (fitting)

Etymology

From acme (“highest, best”). As a threading, from the original 1894 manufacturer, the Acme Screw Machine Company of Hartford, Connecticut. In its use as a generic company for comedic effect or to avoid trademark issues, most popularized by the Warner Bros.' Looney Tunes cartoons but already very commonly used by 20th century American companies as a way to lead the professional listings in yellow page phone books.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈækmi/

  • Audio (Southern England):

    (file)

Proper noun

Acme

1. (fiction) A generic or monopoly company.
   • 1968 July, Stan Dryer, “The Fully Automated Love Life of Henry Keanridge”, in Playboy Magazine, page 152:

     Henry knew better than to alienate one of the Acme secretaries.

   • 2012 September 29, Adam Felber, “Wait, Wait... Don’t Tell Me!”, in National Public Radio:

     [ Netanyahu ] showed everybody how close Iran was to getting nuclear weapons by having this spherical cartoon bomb with a wick coming up like Acme style. I was watching this thing thinking, are we worried about Ahmadinejad or are we worried about Inspector Clouseau?

2. A village in Kneehill County, Alberta, Canada.
3. A number of places in the United States:
   1. An unincorporated community in Hamilton Township, Jackson County, Indiana.
   2. An unincorporated community in Dickinson County, Kansas.
   3. An unincorporated community in Concordia Parish, Louisiana.
   4. A township and unincorporated community therein, in Grand Traverse County, Michigan.
   5. An unincorporated community in Columbus County, North Carolina.
   6. A township in Hettinger County, North Dakota.
   7. An unincorporated community in Westmoreland County and Fayette County, Pennsylvania.
   8. A ghost town in Oklahoma.
   9. A ghost town in Texas.
   10. A census-designated place in Washington.
   11. An unincorporated community in Kanawha County, West Virginia.

Noun

Acme (uncountable)

1. A 29° trapezoidal threading used for various fittings and adapters.

Derived terms

• acme nut
• acme screw

References

• ASME B1.5-1997: Acme Screw Threads. 6 Dec. 1999.

Anagrams

• ECMA, EMAC, Mace, Mače, came, eMac, mace