dray
[drey]
- a low, strong cart without fixed sides, for carrying heavy loads.
- a sledge or sled.
- any vehicle, as a truck, used to haul goods, especially one used to carry heavy loads.
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- to convey on a dray.
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- to drive or operate a dray, especially as an occupation.
- to convey goods by dray, especially locally or for short distances.
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Origin of dray
1325–75; Middle English draye sledge; compare Old English draeg- (in drægnet dragnet), akin to dragan to draw
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for dray
Contemporary Examples
Dray says that the doctors she had seen in the practice prior to her delivery were, in fact, supportive of her VBAC plan.
Or, they may be less benevolent, as Dray believes Gorelik was.
Dray glances at me and then looks away when I ask her if she is going to have any more children.
While impressive, these figures are largely irrelevant for Dray.
Therefore, Dray actively sought a hospital that would be supportive of her decision to avoid another C-section.
Historical Examples
They did not toss it carelessly onto the dray but slid it onto the dray.
Philo Gubb Correspondence-School DetectiveEllis Parker Butler
In this instance a dray was backed up to the curbstone, with paper.
So then he bethought him of the little ass that was outside under the dray yet.
Candle and CribK. F. Purdon
Portions of the dray, stripped of all the iron work, were also found.
Reminiscences of QueenslandWilliam Henry Corfield
Then I must try what fortune can do for me without the brewer's dray.
Orley FarmAnthony Trollope
dray1
- a low cart without fixed sides, used for carrying heavy loads
- (in combination)a drayman
- any other vehicle or sledge used to carry a heavy load
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Word Origin
Old English dræge dragnet; related to Old Norse draga load of timber carried on horseback and trailing on the ground; see draw
dray2
- a variant spelling of drey
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Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for dray
n.
mid-14c., Middle English noun derivative of Old English dragan "to draw," originally meaning a cart without wheels that has to be "dragged" (cf. Old Norse draga "timber dragged behind a horse"); see drag (v.).
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper