trek
[trek]
- to travel or migrate, especially slowly or with difficulty.
- South Africa. to travel by ox wagon.
Show More
- South Africa. (of a draft animal) to draw (a vehicle or load).
Show More
- a journey or trip, especially one involving difficulty or hardship.
- South Africa. a migration or expedition, as by ox wagon.
- South Africa. a stage of a journey, especially by ox wagon, between one stopping place and the next.
Show More
Origin of trek
1815–25; < Afrikaans < Dutch trek (noun), trekken (v.) to draw (a vehicle or load), migrate
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for trekking
Contemporary Examples
Trekking at altitude is no easy feat, and each woman pushed herself harder than she thought possible.
Motherless Daughters and Parentless Parents Trek to the Andes to Aid OrphansAllison Gilbert
August 21, 2014
This would be their home base while they spent around 10 days trekking through the jungle in search of the perfect new botanical.
On dry land there were dozens of trekking outlets, each offering bike rides, hikes, and laundry service.
A week later—and many more miles of trekking over mountains, across valleys, and through swamps—we found the ruins.
Historical Examples
So before noon we were again "trekking," and that, too, straight for the Potomac.
The Story of a Cannoneer Under Stonewall JacksonEdward A. Moore
In ten minutes after, they were trekking to the south-east, en route for Port Natal.
The Giraffe HuntersMayne Reid
I shall have to do a lot of trekking in the wild, outlying parts.
The RhodesianGertrude Page
When trekking from the old kraal, they had brought with them a small bag of maize.
The Bush BoysCaptain Mayne Reid
Or we watched a wandering tribe of Arabs trekking in the distance.
The Secrets of a KuttiteEdward O. Mousley
trek
- a long and often difficult journey
- Southern African a journey or stage of a journey, esp a migration by ox wagon
Show More
- (intr) to make a trek
- (tr) Southern African (of an ox, etc) to draw (a load)
Show More
Word Origin
C19: from Afrikaans, from Middle Dutch trekken to travel; related to Old Frisian trekka
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 trekking
trek
1849 (n.); 1850 (v.), "to travel or migrate by ox wagon," from Afrikaans trek, from Dutch trekken "to march, journey," originally "to draw, pull," from Middle Dutch trecken (cf. Middle Low German trecken, Old High German trechan "to draw"). Especially in reference to the Groot Trek (1835 and after) of more than 10,000 Boers, who, discontent with the English colonial authorities, left Cape Colony and went north and north-east.
Show More
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper