trolley

1 of 2

noun

trol·​ley ˈträ-lē 

variants or less commonly trolly

plural trolleys also trollies

1

a

: a streetcar powered electrically through a trolley

called also trolley car

b

: a device that carries electric current from an overhead wire to an electrically driven vehicle

2

: a wheeled carriage running on an overhead rail or track

3

chiefly British : a cart or wheeled stand used for conveying something (such as food or books)

4

dialectal, England : a cart of any of various kinds

trolley

2 of 2

verb

variants or less commonly trolly

trolleyed also trollied; trolleying also trollying

transitive verb

: to convey by a trolley

intransitive verb

: to ride on a trolley

Examples of trolley in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Having said that, some caddies (such as trolley sleeves) are designed specifically for luggage and won't work on a stroller — and vice versa. —Theresa Holland, Travel + Leisure, 17 Nov. 2023

Police took a suspect, 40, into custody at the nearby trolley station, and the victim was taken to a hospital with neck wounds that weren’t considered to be life-threatening, the officer said. —City News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Nov. 2023

Park in the Cup of Love Ministry parking lot at 4032 E. Van Buren St. and ride the free trolley to the cemetery. —Monica Hooper, Arkansas Online, 28 Oct. 2023

The three-course lunch is a more affordable way to experience one of Ireland’s most exciting dining rooms—just be sure to make space for the dedicated Irish coffee trolley. —Aoife O'Riordain, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 Oct. 2023

The trolley now comes to within a five-minute walk of my house. —Lisa Deaderick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Nov. 2023

There’s a removable shoulder strap along with a back zip-pocket that converts into a trolley sleeve for easy transport, too. —Sophie Dodd, Travel + Leisure, 31 Oct. 2023

Replete with poodle skirts and trolley rides, the images, now available online as part of the magazine’s tribute issue to Disney parks, tell the story of romance, adolescence and that singular Disneyland magic. —Heather Knight, New York Times, 28 Sep. 2023

Many of the migrants on the bus will likely be released to the trolley stations in the coming days. —Kate Morrissey, Los Angeles Times, 16 Sep. 2023

Verb

The 360-degree spinner wheels are easy to trolley across terminals. —Sian Babish, chicagotribune.com, 22 Sep. 2020

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Word History

Etymology

Noun

probably from troll entry 2

First Known Use

Noun

1823, in the meaning defined at sense 4

Verb

1882, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Phrases Containing trolley

• off one's trolley
• trackless trolley

• off one's trolley
• trackless trolley

Kids Definition

trolley

noun

trol·​ley

variants also trolly

ˈträl-ē

plural trolleys also trollies

1

a

: a device for carrying current from a wire to an electrically driven vehicle

b

: a streetcar that runs on tracks and gets its electric power through a trolley

called also trolley car

2

: a wheeled carriage running on an overhead rail or track

Medical Definition

trolley

noun

trol·​ley

variants also trolly

ˈträl-ē 

plural trolleys also trollies

British

: gurney