conveyor belt
[/kənˈveɪər belt/]
nounpl: conveyor belts
correia transportadora
1. An endless moving belt used to transport objects from one place to another, typically in factories or warehouses
The factory uses a conveyor belt to move products along the assembly line.
A fábrica usa uma correia transportadora para mover produtos ao longo da linha de montagem.
2. A system or process that moves things along in a routine, mechanical manner
The school felt like a conveyor belt, processing students without individual attention.
A escola parecia uma correia transportadora, processando alunos sem atenção individual.
3. At airports, the moving belt that carries luggage or passengers
Please place your luggage on the conveyor belt at check-in.
Por favor, coloque sua bagagem na correia transportadora no check-in.
In Brazil, 'correia transportadora' is the technical term widely used in manufacturing and industrial sectors, reflecting the country's strong industrial base. In Portugal, 'tapete rolante' is also popular, especially in airports and modern commercial spaces. The metaphorical use of 'conveyor belt' to describe bureaucratic or educational systems is understood in both cultures as a criticism of impersonal, assembly-line treatment.
Related Idioms & Phrases
on the conveyor belt - undergoing routine processing without individual consideration
conveyor belt mentality - an approach focused on mass production without quality
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