tractor
tractor — noun
1. A powerful farm machine with oversized rear wheels and deep-tread tyres, designe
A powerful farm machine with oversized rear wheels and deep-tread tyres, designed to drag ploughs, trailers, and other tools across farmland.
Amihan's father drives his tractor pulling a plough across the rice fields each planting season.
pull a plough / pull a trailer
A tractor's large back tyres help it move through muddy ground without getting stuck.
Ziad learned to drive a tractor at fourteen, helping his family on their small farm.
Without a tractor, preparing a field for planting takes days of hard work.
- traction engine
an older, steam-powered vehicle that performed similar farm work; now mostly historical
- farm vehicle
a broader category that includes tractors, combine harvesters, and other machines
用法筆記
In everyday conversation, 'tractor' almost always means a farm vehicle. The plural form is common when discussing farm equipment in general.
常見錯誤
2. The front section of an articulated lorry, containing the driver's cabin and eng
The front section of an articulated lorry, containing the driver's cabin and engine, designed to pull a separate trailer or container.
Asher climbed into the tractor and checked his mirrors before leaving the depot.
climb into the tractor (truck-cab sense)
A tractor without a trailer is easier to park in a tight space.
Pedro backed the tractor to the bay and hooked the trailer with a loud clank.
The company bought five new tractors for its cross-country delivery routes.
- cab
refers specifically to the driver's compartment rather than the whole front section
- tractor unit
the formal technical term, common in British English and the trucking industry
- rig
an informal North American term that can refer to the entire truck or just the tractor
用法筆記
This sense appears commonly in the phrases 'tractor-trailer' (North America) or 'tractor unit' (UK). In the trucking industry, the tractor may also be called the 'cab' or the 'rig.'