dolly

noun dol·ly \ ˈdä-lē , ˈdȯ-lē \

Updated on: 26 Apr 2018

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

Some of the options being discussed include the provision of equipment — cameras, lights, dollies — and legal services.

— alexandra zavis, latimes.com, "Saudi Arabia is opening movie theaters. Now the kingdom wants to make movies too," 6 Apr. 2018
Throwing trashcans dollies, and stuff like that--broke one of the windows and cut Michael Chiesa really bad.

— demetrio teniente, Houston Chronicle, "There is a warrant out for Conor McGregor's arrest after he crashed the UFC 223 presser," 5 Apr. 2018
White said trash cans, dollies and bike racks were tossed at the bus, one of the objects nearly hitting Rose Namajunas, UFC's women's strawweight champ who is slated to fight Joanna Jedrzejczyk on Saturday.

— a.j. perez, USA TODAY, "Police seek to question Conor McGregor after attack on UFC bus injures Michael Chiesa," 5 Apr. 2018
Even the hood releases and the dollies are hydraulic.

— nicole spector /, NBC News, "Why millennials should start considering truck driving: It's almost a tech job," 18 Mar. 2018
Friday’s auction also includes a lot of moving pads, furniture dollies and similar equipment.

— mark davis, kansascity, "It’s like eBay before eBay. Time runs out Friday night for Grandview business," 15 Feb. 2018
Kayaks with pedal drivers tend to weigh between 75 and 120 pounds, and most owners use a tow dolly to wheel the heavier boats to and from the water.

— tom stienstra, San Francisco Chronicle, "Kayak, SUP, canoe for escape hatch to freedom," 15 Feb. 2018
However, most Instacart shoppers are driving small commuter cars, not large trucks with dollies and other equipment to help move bulky items.

— cyrus farivar, Ars Technica, "Some Instacart workers to strike over pay that can be as low as $1 per hour," 19 Nov. 2017
Little Mommy Why kids love it: The entire book is a sweet little girl, playing with her dollies and basically living #BabyGoals.

— nicole fabian-weber, Cosmopolitan, "14 Books Kids Love and Moms Can't Stand," 30 Mar. 2016

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.

First Known Use of dolly

1790

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

dolly Synonyms

Synonyms

action figure, doll, puppet;

Related Words

rag doll;

figure, figurine;

handpuppet, marionette;

dolly

verb

Definition of dolly

dollied; dollying

transitive verb

1 : to treat with a dolly

2 : to move or convey on a dolly

intransitive verb

: to move a motion-picture or television camera about on a dolly while shooting a scene; also, of a camera : to be moved on a dolly

First Known Use of dolly

1878

in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

DOLLY Defined for English Language Learners

dolly

noun

Definition of dolly for English Language Learners

: a child's toy doll
: a piece of equipment that has wheels and that is used for moving heavy objects

DOLLY Defined for Kids

dolly

noun \ ˈdä-lē \

Definition of dolly for Students

plural dollies

1 : doll 1

2 : a platform on a roller or on wheels for moving heavy things

Learn More about dolly

See words that rhyme with dolly Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for dolly Spanish Central: Translation of dolly Nglish: Translation of dolly for Spanish speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about dolly

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up dolly? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show

dolly

Definition of dolly

Examples of dolly in a Sentence

Recent Examples of dolly from the Web

First Known Use of dolly

dolly Synonyms

Synonyms

Related Words

dolly

Definition of dolly

First Known Use of dolly

DOLLY Defined for English Language Learners

dolly

Definition of dolly for English Language Learners

DOLLY Defined for Kids

dolly

Definition of dolly for Students

Learn More about dolly

Seen and Heard

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games

9 Words from the Magical Realm

A Field Guide to British Noble Titles

Words Used by Nabokov Quiz

Trending: Melania Trump Undergoes 'Embolization'

Ghost Word