truck

1 of 4

noun (1)

ˈtrək 

1

: a wheeled vehicle for moving heavy articles: such as

a

: a strong horse-drawn or automotive vehicle (such as a pickup) for hauling

b

: an automotive vehicle with a short chassis equipped with a swivel for attaching a trailer and used especially for the highway hauling of freight

also : a truck with attached trailer

c

: a small barrow consisting of a rectangular frame having at one end a pair of handles and at the other end a pair of small heavy wheels and a projecting edge to slide under a load

called also hand truck

d

: a small heavy rectangular frame supported on four wheels for moving heavy objects

e

: a small flat-topped car pushed or pulled by hand

f

: a shelved stand mounted on casters

2

a

British : an open railroad freight car

b

: a swiveling carriage consisting of a frame with one or more pairs of wheels and springs to carry and guide one end (as of a railroad car) in turning sharp curves

3

: a small wheel

specifically : a small strong wheel for a gun carriage

4

: a small wooden cap at the top of a flagstaff or masthead usually having holes for reeving flag or signal halyards

truckful

ˈtrək-ˌfu̇l 

noun

truck

2 of 4

verb (1)

trucked; trucking; trucks

transitive verb

: to load or transport on a truck

intransitive verb

1

: to roll along especially in an easy untroubled way

2

: to transport goods by truck

3

: to be employed in driving a truck

truck

3 of 4

verb (2)

trucked; trucking; trucks

transitive verb

1

: to give in exchange : swap

2

: to barter or dispose of by barter

intransitive verb

1

: to exchange commodities : barter

2

: to negotiate or traffic especially in an underhanded way : have dealings

truck

4 of 4

noun (2)

1

: barter

2

: commodities appropriate for barter or for small trade

3

: close association or connection

will have no truck with crooks

4

: payment of wages in goods instead of cash

5

: vegetables grown for market

6

: heterogeneous small articles often of little value

also : rubbish

Synonyms

Noun (2)

• back-and-forth
• barter
• commutation
• dicker
• exchange
• quid pro quo
• swap
• trade
• trade-off

Examples of truck in a Sentence

Noun (2)

in medieval Europe, furs and forest products from the north were sold in truck for luxury products from the south

filled a dozen large garbage bags with all the truck we collected when we cleaned the place out

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The duo will have to draw up a new checklist for the United Arab Emirates, having completed their three-point inventory for Spain: bring the trophy home, visit the Tour equipment trucks and meet Jon Rahm. —Jack Bantock, CNN, 26 Oct. 2024

Unleashing New Battery Performance With Elysia Intelligent Software Elysia’s leading role in enabling this will be largely based on its experience electrifying mining trucks. —James Morris, Forbes, 26 Oct. 2024

The Michigan tip said Hernandez was in a pickup truck, heading south on I-49 from Arkansas. —Bill Laytner, Detroit Free Press, 25 Oct. 2024

Driving the news: Scout on Thursday unveiled concepts for a pickup truck and an SUV that are nearly identical to the actual vehicles that will go on sale in 2027. —Joann Muller, Axios, 25 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

probably back-formation from truckle small wheel — more at truckle bed

Verb (2)

Middle English trukken, from Anglo-French *truker, *troker, from Vulgar Latin *troccare, probably of imitative origin

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1611, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Verb (1)

1748, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Verb (2)

13th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun (2)

1553, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing truck

• breakdown truck
• dumper truck
• dump truck
• fire truck
• food truck
• garbage truck
• hand truck
• have/hold/want no truck with
• hook and ladder truck
• ladder truck
• lift truck
• panel truck
• pickup truck
• sound truck
• stake truck
• tow truck
• truck farm
• truck stop
• truck system

Kids Definition

truck

1 of 3 noun

ˈtrək 

1

: barter entry 2

2

: goods for barter or for small trade

3

: close association

have no truck with such people

4

: vegetables grown for market

5

a

: small articles of little value

b

: rubbish

truck

2 of 3 noun

: a wheeled vehicle for moving heavy articles

truck

3 of 3 verb

: to transport on or by truck

Etymology

Noun

from earlier truck (verb) "to exchange goods, swap," from Middle English trukken (same meaning), from early French troquer (same meaning)

Noun

from truck "a small wheel," from truckle "small wheel, pulley," from Middle English trokell "caster, wheel," from Latin trochlea "block of pulleys"