lorry

English
WOTD – 22 June 2019

Etymology
An articulated lorry (sense 1) in London, UK
A rusty lorry (sense 1) in Kenya

Origin uncertain; perhaps from dialectal English lurry (“to lug or pull about, drag”),[1] or from the forename Laurie.[2]

The verb is derived from the noun.[3]

Pronunciation
  • (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈlɒɹi/
  • (General American) IPA(key): /ˈlɔɹi/
  • Audio (AU)(file)
  • Rhymes: -ɒri
  • Hyphenation: lor‧ry

Noun

lorry (plural lorries)

  1. (road transport, Britain) A motor vehicle for transporting goods; a truck.
    Synonyms: hauler, rig, tractor trailer, truck (US)
  2. (dated) A barrow or truck for shifting baggage, as at railway stations.
  3. (dated) A small cart or wagon used on the tramways in mines to carry coal or rubbish.
  4. (obsolete) A large, low, horse-drawn, four-wheeled wagon without sides; also, a similar wagon modified for use on railways.

Alternative forms

Derived terms

Descendants

Translations
motor vehicle — see truck

Verb

lorry (third-person singular simple present lorries, present participle lorrying, simple past and past participle lorried)

  1. (transitive, also figuratively) To transport by, or as if by, lorry.
    • 1869 December 18, T. T. W., “Lurry”, in Notes and Queries: A Medium of Inter-communication for Literary Men, General Readers, etc., volume IV (4th Series), London: Published at the office, 43 Wellington Street, Strand, W.C., OCLC 611217138, page 550, column 2:
      He lorried away with a whole pile of things, and cheated the bailiffs.
    • 2002, Norman Brooke, chapter 7, in Half-pint Heroes: The Bantams of World War One, London: Janus Publishing Company, →ISBN, page 62:
      The midday meal at 1230hrs for 'C' and 'D' Companies would be followed by them parading at the camp gates for lorrying to Hazebrouck.
    • 2011, Penelope Pansy, “Time Goes By”, in The Story of Penelope Pansy, [s.l.]: Penelope Pansy, →ISBN, page 52:
      [S]he had bought three jars of baby food, for convenience, and was busy lorrying them into me when I unintentionally spurted a huge mouthful all over her magnificent blouse and skirt.
    • 2014, D. G. Holliday, Damage: A Novel of the Great War, Kibworth Beauchamp, Leicestershire: Matador, →ISBN, page 13:
      At a lamplit corner I signalled a cross-bearing transport, and to low salutations of 'Evening, sir,' was hoisted up, bag and all, and swiftly lorried away.

Derived terms

Translations

References
  1. “lorry, n.”, in OED Online ⁠, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1903.
  2. “lorry” (US) / “lorry” (UK) in Oxford Dictionaries, Oxford University Press.
  3. “lorry, v.”, in OED Online ⁠, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1933.

Further reading
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