A simple machine is a mechanical device that changes the direction or magnitude of a force. In general, they can be defined as the simplest mechanisms that use mechanical advantage (also called ...

It's a strangely simple machine, usually configured with a piston and a flywheel, that burns no fuel, is self-contained, and can be set in motion simply by warming it with a mug of hot water or, ...

When you push or pull with a simple machine, you are applying a force and doing work. And, if you get more force out of a machine than you put into it, then that machine has a mechanical advantage.