Trolley

/ˈtrɑːli/ noun

Definition

A small vehicle on wheels used for carrying things, such as a shopping cart, or an electric streetcar that runs on tracks.

Etymology

Probably from *troll* meaning “to roll or move about,” plus the diminutive *‑ey* ending. It was first used for wheeled platforms and then for electric streetcars that “trolled” for power from overhead wires.

Kelly Says

The same word can mean a supermarket cart and a city streetcar because both are just things that roll along carrying loads. Old street trolleys even dragged a wheel along an overhead wire to pick up electricity, literally trolling for power.

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