dragline

[ drag-lahyn ]

noun

1. a rope dragging drag from something; dragrope.
2. dragline crane.

dragline

/ ˈdræɡˌlaɪn /

noun

1. another word for dragrope
2. Also calleddragline cranedragline excavator a power shovel that operates by being dragged by cables at the end of an arm or jib: used for quarrying, opencast mining, etc

Word History and Origins

Origin of dragline¹

An Americanism dating back to 1915–20; drag + line ¹

Example Sentences

“The West Coast markets are what created this,” Anne Hedges says, as we watch a dragline move dirt.

From Los Angeles Times

His bill doesn’t name Twin Pines, but would pause any permits for “dragline mining for heavy mineral sands.”

From Seattle Times

In the 13 years between his service in World War II as a howitzer gunner and his graduation from the University of Mississippi School of Law, Finch worked as a bulldozer driver, a log hauler, a campus police officer, a dragline operator and a cotton measurer, so he wasn’t exactly a stranger to manual labor.

From Salon

A Mosaic Co. dragline carves out phosphate matrix in Tampa, Florida, US, on Friday, Dec. 2nd, 2011.

From The Verge

This study focused on the proteins found in dragline silk, which serves as a sort of bungee cord for spiders dangling from their webs or ceilings.

From New York Times