axletree

American  

[ak-suhl-tree] / ˈæk səlˌtri /

noun

1. a bar, fixed crosswise under an animal-drawn vehicle, with a rounded spindle at each end upon which a wheel rotates.

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axletree British  

/ ˈæksəlˌtriː /

noun

1. a bar fixed across the underpart of a wagon or carriage that has rounded ends on which the wheels revolve

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Etymology

Origin of axletree

Middle English word dating back to 1250–1300; axle, tree

Example Sentences

Under the rear axletree were suspended a tar-bucket and water-pail.

From Stage-coach and Tavern Days by Earle, Alice Morse

Hard by the ocean limit and the set of sun is the extreme Aethiopian land, where ancient Atlas turns on his shoulders the starred burning axletree of heaven.

From The Aeneid of Virgil by Virgil

Vases of similar shape, containing flowers, should be placed on each side of the seat; a long rope, covered with crimson cloth, should be attached to the front axletree.

From Home Pastimes; or Tableaux Vivants by Head, James H.

She was higher than the street or the street-goers, by just so much as the height of the axletree of the carriage.

From The House in Town by Warner, Susan

Note the heavy bed on which the cheeks of the carriage rest and the built-in skid under the center of the rear axletree.

From Artillery Through the Ages A Short Illustrated History of Cannon, Emphasizing Types Used in America by Manucy, Albert