truck

¹

[truhk]

noun

1. any of various forms of vehicle for carrying goods and materials, usually consisting of a single self-propelled unit but also often composed of a trailer vehicle hauled by a tractor unit.

2. any of various wheeled frames used for transporting heavy objects.

3. Also called hand truck. a barrowlike frame with low wheels, a ledge at the bottom, and handles at the top, used to move heavy luggage, packages, cartons, etc.

4. a low, rectangular frame on which heavy boxes, crates, trunks, etc., are moved; a dolly.

5. a tiered framework on casters.

6. a group of two or more pairs of wheels in one frame, for supporting one end of a railroad car, locomotive, etc.

7. Movies.,  a dolly on which a camera is mounted.

8. British.,  a freight car having no top.

9. a small wooden wheel, cylinder, or roller, as on certain old-style gun carriages.

10. Nautical.,  a circular or square piece of wood fixed on the head of a mast or the top of a flagstaff, usually containing small holes for signal halyards.

verb (used with object)

1. to transport by truck.

2. to put on a truck.

3. Movies.,  dolly.

verb (used without object)

1. to convey articles or goods on a truck.

2. to drive a truck.

3. Movies.,  dolly.

adjective

1. of, relating to, or for a truck or trucks.

   a truck drive; truck tires.

truck

²

[truhk]

noun

1. vegetables raised for the market.

2. miscellaneous articles of little worth; odds and ends.

3. Informal.,  trash or rubbish.

   That's a lot of truck.

4. Informal.,  dealings.

   I'll have no truck with him.

5. barter.

6. a bargain or deal.

7. the payment of wages in goods instead of money.

8. truck system.

verb (used with object)

1. to exchange; barter; trade.

verb (used without object)

1. to exchange commodities; barter.

2. to traffic; have dealings.

truck

³

[truhk]

noun

1. a shuffling jitterbug step.

verb (used without object)

1. to dance with such steps.

2. Slang.,  to walk or stroll, especially in a jaunty manner.

   trucking down the avenue on a Sunday afternoon.

truck

¹

/ trʌk /

noun

1. a vehicle for carrying freight on a railway; wagon

2. Also called (esp in Britain): lorry. a large motor vehicle designed to carry heavy loads, esp one with a flat platform

3. a frame carrying two or more pairs of wheels and usually springs and brakes, attached under an end of a railway coach, etc

4. nautical

   1. a disc-shaped block fixed to the head of a mast having sheave holes for receiving signal halyards

   2. the head of a mast itself

5. any wheeled vehicle used to move goods

verb

1. to convey (goods) in a truck

2. (intr) to drive a truck

truck

²

/ trʌk /

noun

1. commercial goods

2. dealings (esp in the phrase have no truck with )

3. commercial exchange

4. archaic,  payment of wages in kind

5. miscellaneous articles

6. informal,  rubbish

7. vegetables grown for market

verb

1. archaic,  to exchange (goods); barter

2. (intr) to traffic or negotiate

Other Word Forms

• truckable adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of truck¹

First recorded in 1605–15; back formation from truckle “wheel”; truckle

Origin of truck²

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English truken, trukien “to exchange,” from Old French troquer, trochier “to exchange” and Medieval Latin trocāre “to barter”; further origin unknown

Origin of truck³

First recorded in 1935–40; special use of truck ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of truck¹

C17: perhaps shortened from _truckle ²

Origin of truck²

C13: from Old French troquer (unattested) to barter, equivalent to Medieval Latin trocare , of unknown origin

Idioms and Phrases

see have no truck with.

Example Sentences

Government troops made their last stand in the city of El Fasher, at an airfield that fell to an assault Monday by rebels armed with attack drones and pickup trucks mounted with machine guns.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Low-loader lorries flying the Egyptian flag transported bulldozers and mechanical diggers into Gaza, accompanied by tipper trucks sounding their horns and flashing their lights, en route to an Egyptian aid committee based in Al Zawayda.

Read more on Barron's

The U.S. military has begun striking boats in the Pacific in recent days, though experts note most drugs enter the U.S. from the south via cargo ships and heavy trucks, not small vessels.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

“A park ranger could have very easily parked his or her truck, and walked a few-minute hike to top of the trail and just done a visual inspection,” Robertson said.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

A convoy of Egyptian trucks and vehicles transporting heavy machinery entered Gaza overnight to help locate the remains of Israeli hostages in the territory, AFP footage showed.

Read more on Barron's

Related Words

• car 
• crate 
• freighter 
• jeep 
• lorry 
• pickup 
• rig 
• van 
• wagon