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truck

n. · v.
US //ˈtɹək// UK //tɹˈʌk// truck
  1. 1 large road vehicle (n.)
    A2 Elementary American English

    a large, strong motor vehicle used for carrying heavy goods or materials.

    a heavy motor vehicle designed for the transport of goods, materials, or equipment; equivalent to the British 'lorry'.

    Example

    The delivery truck arrived at the supermarket with fresh fruit and vegetables.

    Example

    The logistics company invested in a new fleet of electric trucks to reduce their carbon footprint during long-haul deliveries.

    Usage

    In British English, 'lorry' is the standard term for this vehicle, though 'truck' is becoming more common due to American influence.
  2. 2 railway wagon (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate British English

    an open railway car used for carrying goods like coal or stone.

    a railway vehicle used for the carriage of goods, typically an open-topped wagon.

    Example

    The steam engine pulled twenty trucks full of coal through the valley.

    Example

    The historical society restored several Victorian-era railway trucks to demonstrate how minerals were transported from the mines to the docks.
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  1. 3 skateboard part (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Sport

    the metal part under a skateboard that holds the wheels.

    the metal axle assembly attached to the underside of a skateboard or roller skate deck.

    Example

    He tightened the trucks on his skateboard to make it more stable at high speeds.

    Example

    Advanced skaters often customise their trucks with softer bushings to allow for sharper turns and better technical control.
  2. 4 dealings or connection (n.)
    C1 Advanced Formal

    dealings or a relationship with someone, usually used in a negative way.

    social or commercial dealings; almost exclusively used in the idiom 'to have no truck with'.

    Example

    The honest politician said he would have no truck with the corrupt developers.

    Example

    The traditionalist headmaster made it clear he would have no truck with the proposed changes to the school's curriculum.

    Usage

    Usually appears in the fixed phrase 'have no truck with', meaning to refuse to be involved with something.
  3. 5 to transport by road (v.)
    B1 Intermediate

    to move goods from one place to another using a truck.

    to convey or transport goods via a heavy motor vehicle.

    Example

    They trucked the equipment across the country for the music festival.

    Example

    The construction firm had to truck in thousands of tons of gravel to stabilise the marshy ground before building could begin.
  4. 6 to keep going (v.)
    C1 Advanced Informal American English

    to keep moving or keep doing something, even if it is difficult.

    to proceed or persist in an activity; often used in the phrase 'keep on trucking'.

    Example

    Even though he was tired, he decided to just keep on trucking until the job was done.

    Example

    Despite the initial setbacks in the research project, the team decided to keep trucking until they found a viable solution.
Etymology 1

Perhaps a shortening of truckle, related to Latin trochus (“iron hoop, wheel”) from Ancient Greek τροχός (trokhós).

Etymology 2

From Middle English truken, troken, trukien, from Old English trucian (“to fail, run short, deceive, disappoint”), from Proto-West Germanic trokōn (“to fail, miss, lack”), from Proto-Indo-European derew-, derwu- (“to tear, wrap, reap”), from Proto-Indo-European der- (“to flay, split”). Cognate with Middle Low German troggelen (“to cheat, deceive, swindle”), Dutch troggelen (“to extort”), German dialectal truggeln (“to flatter, fawn”).

Etymology 3

From dialectal truck, truk, trokk, probably of North Germanic origin, compare Norwegian dialectal trokka, trakka (“to stamp, trample, go to and fro”), Danish trykke (“to press, press down, crush, squeeze”), Swedish trycka. More at thrutch.

Etymology 4

From Middle English trukien, from unrecorded Anglo-Norman and Old French words, from Latin trocāre, from Frankish *trokan. Related to Etymology 2.

Word family
Idioms6 entries

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