trucks

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

truck¹ /trʌk/   n. [countable]

1. Transport a motor vehicle for carrying goods and materials:
   Those big trucks were blocking the roads.
2. Transport a frame, platform, or open cart with wheels used for transporting heavy objects.
3. Transport hand truck.

v. 

4. Transport to transport or deliver (articles, etc.) by truck:
   [~ + object] to truck some vegetables to the market.
5. [Informal.] to proceed, esp. in a carefree manner:
   [no object] I'm just trucking along, no problems.

truck•er, n. [countable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

truck¹  (truk), n. 

1. Transport 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. Transport any of various wheeled frames used for transporting heavy objects.
3. Transport 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. Transport a low, rectangular frame on which heavy boxes, crates, trunks, etc., are moved;
   a dolly.
5. Transport a tiered framework on casters.
6. Rail Transport a group of two or more pairs of wheels in one frame, for supporting one end of a railroad car, locomotive, etc.
7. Cinema [Motion Pictures.] a dolly on which a camera is mounted.
8. Rail Transport, British Terms [Brit.] a freight car having no top.
9. Transport a small wooden wheel, cylinder, or roller, as on certain old-style gun carriages.
10. Nautical, Naval Terms 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.

v.t. 

11. Transport to transport by truck.
12. Transport to put on a truck.
13. Transport, Cinema dolly (def. 11).

v.i. 

14. Transport to convey articles or goods on a truck.
15. Transport to drive a truck.
16. Transport dolly (def. 12).

adj. 

17. Transport of, pertaining to, or for a truck or trucks:
    a truck drive; truck tires.

• back formation from truckle wheel. See truckle² 1605–15

truck′a•ble, adj. 

truck² (truk),  n. 

1. Agriculture vegetables raised for the market.
2. miscellaneous articles of little worth;
   odds and ends.
3. Informal Terms 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. See truck system. 

v.t. 

9. to exchange;
   trade;
   barter.

v.i. 

10. to exchange commodities;
    barter.
11. to traffic;
    have dealings.

• Old French troquer to exchange
• Middle English trukien to exchange 1175–1225

truck³ (truk),  n. 

1. Music and Dance a shuffling jitterbug step.

v.i. 

2. Music and Dance to dance with such steps.
3. Slang Terms to walk or stroll, esp. in a jaunty manner:
   trucking down the avenue on a Sunday afternoon.

• special use of truck¹ 1935–40

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

truck / trʌk/ noun

1. a vehicle for carrying freight on a railway; wagon
2. a large motor vehicle designed to carry heavy loads, esp one with a flat platform
   Also called (esp in Britain): lorry
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. a disc-shaped block fixed to the head of a mast having sheave holes for receiving signal halyards
5. the head of a mast itself
6. any wheeled vehicle used to move goods

verb

1. to convey (goods) in a truck
2. (intransitive) to drive a truck

Etymology: 17th Century: perhaps shortened from truckle²

truck / trʌk/ noun

1. commercial goods
2. dealings (esp in the phrase have no truck with)
3. commercial exchange
4. payment of wages in kind
5. miscellaneous articles
6. rubbish
7. vegetables grown for market

verb

1. to exchange (goods); barter
2. (intransitive) to traffic or negotiate

Etymology: 13th Century: from Old French troquer (unattested) to barter, equivalent to Medieval Latin trocare, of unknown origin