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

As an environmentalist, I’m turned off by my boyfriend’s love of ATVs, dirt bikes, and his giant diesel truck. —Blair Braverman, Outside Online, 18 Nov. 2024

Then Alexis called Diamond, who jumped in his truck and got to the house as the ambulance doors closed. —Audrey Dutton, ProPublica, 11 Nov. 2024

Verb

San Clemente is already utilizing practical private solutions, like the recent North Beach project, where 37,000 cubic yards of sand were trucked in from the Santa Ana Riverbed. —Cameron Cosgrove, Orange County Register, 29 Oct. 2024

Early ballots going out-of-state are sometimes trucked to post offices closer to their final destination. —Sasha Hupka, The Arizona Republic, 30 Sep. 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"