brake-van

American  

[breyk-van] / ˈbreɪkˌvæn /

noun

British.

1. the caboose of a railway train.

---

brake van British  

noun

1. railways the coach or vehicle from which the guard applies the brakes; guard's van

---

Etymology

Origin of brake-van

First recorded in 1880–85

Example Sentences

After forty-eight hours of semi-starvation in a brake-van, the name of the junction, in spite of the ill-natured tones which gave voice to it, sounded sweeter than the chimes of bells.

From On the Heels of De Wet by James, Lionel

He was about to take his seat again in the carriage when he observed a crowd on the platform opposite the brake-van at the rear end of the train.

From The Monkey That Would Not Kill by Wain, Louis

This eventually took the form of being driven to the nearest railway terminus, a short day's journey, and being deposited in a first-class carriage, with all their effects in the brake-van, carefully labelled.

From The Crooked Stick or Pollies's Probation by Boldrewood, Rolf

At this crisis I had the luck to come across my friend Inspector Hooper, Cape Government Railways, in command of an engine and a brake-van chalked for repair.

From Traffics and Discoveries by Kipling, Rudyard

It is composed of ten trucks and vans, and has besides a guard's brake-van fitted with a screw-down brake of the usual sort.

From The Harmsworth Magazine, v. 1, 1898-1899, No. 2 by Various