fifth wheel

fifth wheel

noun

Definition of FIFTH WHEEL

1

a : a horizontal wheel or segment of a wheel that consists of two parts rotating on each other above the fore axle of a carriage and that forms support to prevent tipping b : a similar coupling between tractor and trailer of a semitrailer

2

: one that is superfluous, unnecessary, or burdensome

Examples of FIFTH WHEEL

1. He felt more and more like a fifth wheel at the office.

First Known Use of FIFTH WHEEL

circa 1874

Rhymes with FIFTH WHEEL

aiguille, all-wheel, anneal, appeal, big deal, big wheel, bilge keel, bonemeal, bonspiel, cam wheel, Castile, cartwheel, chainwheel, chenille, cogwheel, conceal, congeal, cornmeal, done deal, eared seal, enwheel, fish meal, flywheel, forefeel, for real, four-wheel, freewheel, fur seal, genteel, get real, good deal, great seal, handwheel, harp seal, ideal, inchmeal, mild steel, mill wheel, misdeal, mobile, Mobile, monk seal, mouthfeel, New Deal, newsreel, nosewheel, oatmeal, O'Neal, pastille, piecemeal, pinwheel, prayer wheel, raw deal, repeal, reveal, schlemiel, self-heal, side-wheel, singspiel, somedeal, spike heel, stabile, tahsil, Tar Heel, thumbwheel, unreel, unseal, worm wheel