wagon
wagon — noun
1. a large cart that animals such as horses or oxen pull, having four wheels and an
a large cart that animals such as horses or oxen pull, having four wheels and an open top, built mainly for moving heavy loads like grain, wood, or supplies, especially in earlier times
The farmer loaded his wagon with fresh vegetables for the morning market.
load + wagon + with [goods]
Pioneer families crossed the plains in covered wagons pulled by teams of oxen.
covered wagon; pulled by [animals]
The museum displays an old wagon that settlers once used to carry their belongings.
Noor's great-grandfather built wooden wagons for transporting grain between villages.
用法筆記
Often modified by material or cargo type: covered wagon, hay wagon, supply wagon, farm wagon.
常見錯誤
2. a small four-wheeled toy shaped like a low box that a child pulls along by a lon
a small four-wheeled toy shaped like a low box that a child pulls along by a long handle, often used for carrying toys, sand, or giving rides to other children
Tomás pulled his little sister around the garden in a red wagon.
pull + [person] + in + wagon
The children filled the wagon with sand and dragged it to the sandbox.
Lan's new wagon has a long handle that folds up when not in use.
A little boy raced his wagon down the driveway while his mother watched.
用法筆記
Chiefly American English; British English uses 'trolley' for a similar child's toy on wheels with a handle.
常見錯誤
3. a large metal container without its own engine that sits on railway tracks and i
a large metal container without its own engine that sits on railway tracks and is coupled to a train to carry goods
A long train of freight wagons carried coal from the mine to the port.
freight wagons carrying [cargo]
Workers loaded the railway wagon with boxes of fruit for the city.
Each wagon on the goods train could hold up to fifty tons of steel.
The repair crew checked every wagon before the train left the station.
- freight car
American term; more common than 'wagon' for railway cargo vehicles in the US
- goods wagon
standard British term for this sense
- boxcar
a type of freight car with four solid sides and a roof, used for protected cargo
- flatcar
a freight car without sides or a roof, for carrying large or heavy items
用法筆記
In American English, 'freight car' or 'boxcar' is more common for this sense. 'Goods wagon' is the standard British term.
常見錯誤
4. a general word for any vehicle with wheels that is pulled by one or more animals
a general word for any vehicle with wheels that is pulled by one or more animals, used for moving either products or people
In rural areas, farmers still use horse-drawn wagons to bring crops from the fields.
horse-drawn wagon for farm work
The parade featured decorated wagons carrying children in colorful costumes.
Sahil learned to drive a wagon at his uncle's farm during summer break.
Before cars existed, most goods traveled by wagon along dirt roads.
用法筆記
This is the broadest sense of 'wagon', covering many types of animal-drawn vehicles including those for passengers. Distinguish from sense 1, which specifically means a large goods-carrying wagon.
常見錯誤
5. a small piece of furniture with wheels, used in restaurants, hotels, or homes fo
a small piece of furniture with wheels, used in restaurants, hotels, or homes for bringing dishes, drinks, or trays to a table
The waiter pushed a silver wagon loaded with desserts between the tables.
push + wagon + loaded with [foods]
The hotel staff brought breakfast on a wagon to the guest's room.
Élise arranged the teacups on the wagon and rolled it into the living room.
A wagon full of fresh fruit stood in the corner of the dining hall.
- serving cart
the more common modern term for this item
- trolley
used in British English for this sense
- tea cart
a small wheeled cart specifically for tea service
6. a type of car with a longer roof than a typical car and extra storage space behi
a type of car with a longer roof than a typical car and extra storage space behind the back seats, usually with a door at the rear that opens upward
The family packed camping gear into the back of their blue station wagon.
pack + gear + into + station wagon
Obi drove a station wagon because it had more room for his tools and boxes.
Station wagons were especially popular in the nineteen seventies before minivans appeared.
We folded the back seats flat in the station wagon to carry a long table.
- estate car
the standard British term for this type of vehicle
- family car
a broader term that includes station wagons but also minivans and large sedans
用法筆記
Chiefly American English; British English uses 'estate car'. This body style has become less common as sport utility vehicles have grown in popularity.
常見錯誤
wagon — verb
1. to move people or things by wagon, especially in historical contexts when roads
to move people or things by wagon, especially in historical contexts when roads were rough and motor vehicles did not yet exist
The company wagoned grain from the countryside to the city markets each autumn.
wagon + [goods] + from [place] to [place]
Before railroads, merchants wagoned goods between coastal towns and inland villages.
The pioneers wagoned their furniture and tools across the rocky trail.
During the gold rush, miners wagoned supplies up the mountain pass.
文法句型
wagon + [goods] + [direction]
wagon + [direction]
用法筆記
This is a rare sense in modern English. Speakers today almost always use 'travel by wagon' or 'transport by wagon' instead of the verb form. It appears mainly in historical writing.