tractor
pronunciation
How to pronounce tractor in British English:
UK [ˈtræktə(r)]
How to pronounce tractor in American English:
US [ˈtræktər]
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- Noun:
- a wheeled vehicle with large wheels; used in farming and other applications
- a truck that has a cab but no body; used for pulling large trailers or vans
Word Origin
- tractor
- tractor: [17] Tractor is one of a large family of English words that come from tractus, the past participle of Latin trahere ‘pull’ (others include abstract [14], attract, contract, detract [15], distract [14], extract [15], retract, subtract, trace, tract [14], tractable [16], traction [17], trait, treat, treatise, and treaty). Tractor itself was originally used in English for a device, invented by the 18th-century American doctor Elisha Perkins, for ‘pulling’ across the surface of the skin, which was supposed to relieve rheumatic pains.It was not applied to a ‘vehicle for pulling loads’ until the end of the 19th century. From Latin trahere itself come English retreat and train; and drag may go back to the same ultimate source.=> abstract, attract, contract, detract, distract, extract, retract, retreat, subtract, trace, tract, train, trait, treat, treaty
- tractor (n.)
- 1856, "something that pulls," from Modern Latin tractor "that which draws," agent noun from past participle stem of Latin trahere "to pull, draw" (see tract (n.1)). Earlier used of a quack device consisting of two metal rods which were supposed to relieve rheumatism (1798, in full Perkins's metallic tractor); still the main sense in Century Dictionary (1891). Sense of "an engine or vehicle for pulling wagons or plows" is recorded by 1896, from earlier traction engine (1859). The meaning "powerful truck for pulling a freight trailer" is first found 1926; tractor-trailer as "combined motor-truck and trailer" is from 1914.
Example
- 1. This time it was the tractor that averted malthusian disaster .
- 2. The monster 18-wheel trucks that hurtle along america 's highways carry most of the nation 's freight . There are reckoned to be some 1.3m of these " semi-trailers " , as the combination of a tractor unit and trailer are known .
- 3. The point was that he needed a tractor , and at once .
- 4. The tractor is already roaring about the farmyard , but the eu money is another story .
- 5. For a time , the country 's future leader and his wife worked in a tractor repair shop .