whiffletree

American  

[hwif-uhl-tree, wif-] / ˈʰwɪf əlˌtri, ˈwɪf- /

noun

Northern U.S.

1. a crossbar, pivoted at the middle, to which the traces of a harness are fastened for pulling a cart, carriage, plow, etc.

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whiffletree British  

/ ˈwɪfəlˌtriː /

noun

1. another name (esp US) for swingletree

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Etymology

Origin of whiffletree

First recorded in 1820–30; variant of whippletree

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

whiffletree

She stepped down on the whiffletree, her heavy waving hair falling in masses of curls and crinkles over her shoulders.

From The Westerners by Stewart Edward White

I did some fair jury work with a lucky bit of spruce wood, the whiffletree, and the axle, and got the pole spliced.

From The La Chance Mine Mystery by George W. Gage

From each of his feet there went a rope ending with a whiffletree, to which a horse was attached.

From Pan Michael An Historical Novel of Poland, the Ukraine, and Turkey. by Henryk Sienkiewicz

One end he fastened securely to the front axle of the car, attaching the other to the whiffletree that he had made to use in the woods.

From The Pony Rider Boys in the Rockies Or, the Secret of the Lost Claim by Frank Gee Patchin

But before he could attach it to his place on the whiffletree again, Ranald stood ready for work.

From The Man from Glengarry; a tale of the Ottawa by Ralph Connor

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