traction engine

American  

noun

1. a locomotive operating on surfaces other than tracks and pulling heavy loads, as fallen logs.

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traction engine British  

noun

1. a steam-powered locomotive used, esp formerly, for drawing heavy loads along roads or over rough ground. It usually has two large rear wheels and a rope drum for haulage purposes

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Etymology

Origin of traction engine

First recorded in 1855–60

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

traction engine

"A low-loader had come past, but the traction engine that was on the back had fallen off and smashed into the bus - literally just made a massive, massive mess."

From BBC ● Oct. 29, 2015

A bus driver who was seriously injured in an accident when a traction engine fell off a low-loader into his cabin has told how he thought he "would die".

From BBC ● Oct. 29, 2015

Built like a traction engine, with forearms like Popeye, Anderson is the kind of big-hitting middle-order batsmen who can make mincemeat of most totals.

From BBC ● Apr. 7, 2015

When a traction engine passed towing a threshing machine the sorrel mare showed her mettle in a series of gyrations that all but landed Archie in a fence corner.

From Blacksheep! Blacksheep! by Nicholson, Meredith

So much was the Sailor astonished by the discovery that he fell out of bed, without disturbing Ginger who was in occupation of three parts of it and snoring like a traction engine.

From The Sailor by Snaith, J. C.