trolley

[ trol-ee ]

noun

, plural trol·leys.

1. trolley car.
2. a pulley or truck traveling on an overhead track and serving to support and move a suspended object.
3. a grooved metallic wheel or pulley carried on the end of a pole trolley pole by an electric car or locomotive, and held in contact with an overhead conductor, usually a suspended wire trolley wire, from which it collects the current for the propulsion of the car or locomotive.
4. any of various devices for collecting current for such a purpose, as a pantograph, or a bowlike structure bow trolley sliding along an overhead wire, or a device underground trolley for taking current from the underground wire or conductor used by some electric railways.
5. a small truck or car operated on a track, as in a mine or factory.
6. a serving cart, as one used to serve desserts.
7. Chiefly British. any of various low carts or vehicles, as a railway handcar or costermonger's cart.

verb (used with or without object)

, trol·leyed, trol·ley·ing.

1. to convey or go by trolley.

trolley

/ ˈtrɒlɪ /

noun

1. a small table on casters used for conveying food, drink, etc
2. a wheeled cart or stand pushed by hand and used for moving heavy items, such as shopping in a supermarket or luggage at a railway station
3. (in a hospital) a bed mounted on casters and used for moving patients who are unconscious, immobilized, etc
4. See trolleybus
5. See trolley car
6. a device that collects the current from an overhead wire ( trolley wire ), third rail, etc, to drive the motor of an electric vehicle
7. a pulley or truck that travels along an overhead wire in order to support a suspended load
8. a low truck running on rails, used in factories, mines, etc, and on railways
9. a truck, cage, or basket suspended from an overhead track or cable for carrying loads in a mine, quarry, etc
10. off one's trolley slang.
    1. mentally confused or disorganized
    2. insane

verb

1. tr to transport (a person or object) on a trolley

Word History and Origins

Origin of trolley¹

First recorded in 1815–25; originally dialect; apparently akin to troll ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of trolley¹

C19: probably from troll ¹

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. off one's trolley, Slang.
   1. in a confused mental state.
   2. insane:

      He's been off his trolley for years, but his family refuses to have him committed.

More idioms and phrases containing trolley

see off one's head (trolley) .

Example Sentences

Another employee said they became suspicious when he "entered the store without a basket or trolley", and went "straight to the alcohol aisle".

From BBC

It chills me to the core watching him hiding in trolley parks and doorways watching and waiting for her, she was blissfully unaware that he was there.

From BBC

Police responded to a call of a man shot at 5100 College Ave. near a trolley stop at 4:38 p.m., according to the San Diego Police Department.

From Los Angeles Times

Ms Ockenden also described helping other patients who had been left on trolleys, including an elderly lady calling for water and alerting staff to a confused elderly man who was trying to leave the hospital.

From BBC

Across town in the Richmond district the day before, volunteers for Mark Farrell, another leading candidate, rode the trolley with him while sporting blue sweatshirts printed with Farrell’s smiling face.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• disk
• drum
• roller