draying

[ drey-ing ]

/ ˈdreɪ ɪŋ /

noun

the business, occupation, or activities of driving a dray.

Words nearby draying

drawtube, dray, dray horse, drayage, drayhorse, draying, drayman, drayton, drch., dre, dread

Origin of draying

First recorded in 1855–60; dray + -ing¹

Definition for draying (2 of 2)

dray

[ drey ]

/ dreɪ /

noun

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.

verb (used with object)

to convey on a dray.

verb (used without object)

to drive or operate a dray, especially as an occupation.

to convey goods by dray, especially locally or for short distances.

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. 2020

Examples from the Web for draying

Tiring of the sea he put his earnings in a draying enterprise.
Port O' Gold|Louis John Stellman
Building up the burned district, draying around the bay in every conceivable branch.
A Little Girl in Old San Francisco|Amanda Minnie Douglas

British Dictionary definitions for draying (1 of 2)

dray¹

/ (dreɪ) /

noun

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

Word Origin for dray

Old English dræge dragnet; related to Old Norse draga load of timber carried on horseback and trailing on the ground; see draw

British Dictionary definitions for draying (2 of 2)

dray²

/ (dreɪ) /

noun

a variant spelling of drey

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