toboggan

American  

[tuh-bog-uhn] / təˈbɒg ən /

noun

1. a long, narrow, flat-bottomed sled made of a thin board curved upward and backward at the front, often with low handrails on the sides, used especially in the sport of coasting over snow or ice.

2. Also called boggin.  Chiefly South Midland and Southern U.S. a close-fitting knit cap worn in cold weather.

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verb (used without object)

toboggans, present (3rd person singular) tobogganed, past participle, past tobogganing present participle

1. to use, or coast on, a toboggan.

2. to fall rapidly, as prices or one's fortune.

toboggan British  

/ təˈbɒɡən /

noun

1. a light wooden frame on runners used for sliding over snow and ice

2. a long narrow sledge made of a thin board curved upwards and backwards at the front

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verb

1. (intr) to ride on a toboggan

Usage

What does toboggan mean? A toboggan is an old-timey sled. One kind is long and narrow with a curved-up front, and another kind has a flat platform on top of runners. Toboggan can also be used as a verb in exactly the same way that sled can be used as a verb, as in let’s go tobogganing. However, it can also mean to fall rapidly, especially in the context of nonphysical things like stock prices. Example: We found Grandpa’s old toboggan in the attic and rode it down the hill in the snow today—that thing really flies!

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• tobogganer
  noun
• tobogganist
  noun

Conjugated Forms

Present

• have tobogganed
  perfect
• has tobogganed
  perfect 3rd person singular
• has been tobogganing
  perfect progressive 3rd person singular
• am tobogganing
  progressive 1st person singular
• are tobogganing
  progressive
• have been tobogganing
  perfect progressive
• is tobogganing
  progressive 3rd person singular
• tobogganing
  participle
• toboggans
  singular 3rd person

Past

• had tobogganed
  perfect
• was tobogganing
  progressive singular
• were tobogganing
  progressive plural
• had been tobogganing
  perfect progressive
• tobogganed
  participle
• tobogganed
  simple

Future

• will toboggan
  simple
• will have tobogganed
  perfect
• will be tobogganing
  progressive
• will have been tobogganing
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of toboggan

First recorded in 1820–30; from Canadian French tabagane, from Maliseet-Passamaquoddy tʰapákən, Mi'kmaq topaĝan (equivalent to unrecorded Proto-Algonquian weta·pye·- “to drag a cord” + -kan- “instrument for”)

Explanation

A toboggan is a type of sled that's light and thin. When you use such a sled, you're tobogganing. If you live somewhere that gets snow in the winter, you might already know what a toboggan is: a thin sled with curving boards in the front that originated with Native Canadians. Tobogganing is a popular winter sport and a lot of fun. Tobogganing sometimes refers to luging, which is a very similar winter sport. You can go extremely fast on a toboggan. If you ride a toboggan well, maybe you'll end up in the Winter Olympics.

Example Sentences

No, he said he told them, I don’t need a toboggan.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 13, 2024

Families race down a toboggan run that weaves through the forest and, when winter's here, there's even a small ski resort.

From BBC • Nov. 3, 2023

At Sattel-Hochstuckli, Mr. Bissig opened the summer toboggan chutes for the Christmas tourist season.

From New York Times • Jan. 15, 2023

The wicker toboggan twisted and turned as we gained speed, with the “runners” purposely navigating within inches of walls or turning the basket so we slid sideways.

From Washington Post • Aug. 4, 2022

To help make ends meet, Johnny began hitching the horse to his toboggan and using them to make deliveries for the local grocery.

From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand