definitions

draying

[ drey-ing ]
/ ˈdreɪ ɪŋ /
|

noun

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

Nearby words

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. 2019

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)

dray

1
/ (dreɪ) /

noun

  1. a low cart without fixed sides, used for carrying heavy loads
  2. (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)

dray

2
/ (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