dolly

noun dol·ly \ ˈdä-lē , ˈdȯ-lē \

Definition of dolly

plural dollies

1 :doll

2 :a wooden-pronged instrument for beating and stirring clothes in the process of washing them in a tub

3 :a compact narrow-gauge railroad locomotive for moving construction trains and for switching

4 a :a platform on a roller or on wheels or casters for moving heavy objects

b :a wheeled platform for a television or motion-picture camera

See dolly defined for English-language learners

See dolly defined for kids

Examples of dolly in a Sentence

We'll need a dolly to move the refrigerator.
my kid sister was always playing with her dollies

Recent Examples of dolly from the Web

Just hours after the fair ended its 26-day run, hundreds of workers with trucks, vans and dollies were swarming the seaside fairgrounds packing up equipment and heading for their next stop on the summer fair circuit.

— phil diehl, sandiegouniontribune.com, "That's a lot of funnel cakes — San Diego County Fair just misses new attendance record," 5 July 2017
Delivery trucks for produce, liquor and tourist shops stop blocks from their customers, forcing workers with dollies packed high with cardboard boxes or kegs to navigate the narrow sidewalks already busy with tourists.

— chelsea brasted, NOLA.com, "Bourbon Street overhaul comes at a cost to businesses," 26 June 2017
On the G.Q. Scene cover, Weber poses in slim-fitting black-and-white mod gear, goofily adorable in a Herman’s Hermits way, while a girl styled like an English dolly bird gazes at him admiringly.

— david kamp, GQ, "It All Started Here: The Gay Legacy of GQ," 23 June 2017
In the hilarious video, Gerber is seen pushing a dolly and is stocked with two cases of tequila and two cases of diapers.

— nicole moschella, ajc, "George and Amal Clooney given diapers, tequila to welcome twins," 7 June 2017
Stuart Miller, who also owns 22 Star Island, made headlines last year when his 7,000-square-foot home was lifted on hydraulic dollies and moved to another part of the property to make way for a new home.

— jennifer boehm, Sun-Sentinel.com, "Star Island mansion formerly owned by Lennar co-founder listed for $49M," 1 June 2017
This year, the city and Albelo negotiated using dollies and golf carts to bring in equipment and to keep heavy foot traffic off the susceptible center of the field.

— carlos frías, miamiherald, "Did you miss it? Grovetoberfest is moving back to the Grove," 17 May 2017
A toolbox, dollies, copper pipes and a water heater were stolen from a residence.

— Washington Post, "Fairfax County crime report," 10 May 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'dolly.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.