tractor

American  

[trak-ter] / ˈtræk tər /

noun

1. a powerful motor-driven vehicle with large, heavy treads, used for pulling farm machinery, other vehicles, etc.

2. Also called truck tractor.  a short truck with a driver's cab but no body, designed for hauling a trailer or semitrailer.

3. something used for drawing or pulling.

4. Aeronautics.

   1. a propeller mounted at the front of an airplane, thus exerting a pull.

   2. Also called tractor airplane.  an airplane with a propeller so mounted.

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tractor British  

/ ˈtræktə /

noun

1. a motor vehicle used to pull heavy loads, esp farm machinery such as a plough or harvester. It usually has two large rear wheels with deeply treaded tyres

2. a short motor vehicle with a powerful engine and a driver's cab, used to pull a trailer, as in an articulated lorry

3. an aircraft with its propeller or propellers mounted in front of the engine

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Etymology

Origin of tractor

1855–60; < Latin trac-, variant stem of trahere to draw, pull + -tor -tor

Example Sentences

A tractor pulled away from what was once a house.

From BBC

Cal Fire will examine the Ventura County Fire Department’s response to a small wildfire that subsequently rekindled from the charred skeleton of a tractor — eventually growing into the destructive Mountain fire.

From Los Angeles Times

It was like a lamb helping up a tractor.

From Literature

Hundreds of farmers had gathered with tractors outside the parliament building ahead of Wednesday's vote -- and the demonstrators erupted in celebration as the result came in.

From Barron's

Hundreds of farmers had gathered with tractors outside the parliament building ahead of Wednesday's vote -- and erupted in celebration as the result came in.

From Barron's