hiram maxim

noun

1. Hiram Percy,1869–1936, U.S. inventor.
2. his fatherSir Hiram Stevens,1840–1916, English inventor, born in the U.S.: inventor of the Maxim gun.
3. Hudson,1853–1927, U.S. inventor and explosives expert (brother of Sir Hiram Stevens Maxim).
4. a male given name, form of Maximilian.

noun

1. a brief expression of a general truth, principle, or rule of conduct

noun

1. Sir Hiram Stevens. 1840–1916, British inventor of the first automatic machine gun (1884), born in the US

n.

“precept, principle,” early 15c., from Middle French maxime, from Late Latin maxima, shortened from phrases such as maxima propositio, maxima sententarium “axiom,” literally “greatest premise, greatest among propositions” (one which is general and absolute), from fem. of maximus “greatest” (see maximum).

single-barreled water-cooled machine gun, 1885, named for inventor, U.S.-born British engineer Sir Hiram S. Maxim (1840-1916).