Word: lorry Part of Speech: noun Etymology: Uncertain; perhaps from dialectal English lurry (“to lug or pull about, drag”) (compare dialectal lurry-cart), or from the forename Laurie. First attested in early to middle 19th century. Pronunciation: /ˈlɒɹi/, /ˈlʌɹi/, /ˈlɔɹɪj/, /ˈlɔɹi/, /ˈlɔɹe/ 1. A large and heavy motor vehicle designed to carry goods or soldiers; a truck Labels: Africa, India, Ireland, South-Asia, UK Example: But whenever one of the motor-trucks lumbering by bore a big U.S. on its rear panel Troy pushed his light ambulance ahead and skimmed past, just for the joy of seeing the fresh young heads rising pyramid-wise about the sides of the lorry, hearing the snatches of familiar songs—"Hail, hail, the gang's all here!" and "We won't come back till it's over over here!"—and shouting back in reply to a stentorian "Hi, kid, beat it!", "Bet your life I will, old man!" Example: The railway is still vital to Jordan's export trade, but in spite of the poor quality of the road, diesel lorries are gradually robbing it of freight traffic, and anyone who can afford to fly does so rather than face the long desert journey by rail. 2. A truck with an open carriage, sometimes used for transporting construction workers. Labels: Malaysia, Singapore 3. A barrow or truck for shifting baggage, as at railway stations. Labels: dated 4. A small cart or wagon used on the tramways in mines to carry coal or rubbish. Labels: dated Example: The mixing 48-in. belts lie flat and run from the bottom of the mixer bins to two coal mixers which deliver the coal to a reversing 42-in. belt conveyor, taking it to either one of two 36-in. belts, running to the top of two larry bins. Each larry bin is located between two batteries of ovens, [...] Under the larry bins are provided platform scales which enable the larry operator to fill his larry with the exact amount of coal to charge an oven. Example: [page 4] [T]he larry had been filled to overflowing. When the controller was moved to the third point there was a jarring of the larry, which shook off more of the fine coal and created a dust cloud that enveloped the larry. This dust cloud was ignited by an arc at the wheels. The flame enveloped the larry and the operator, who was standing at the footboard at the controls. He received severe burns on the hands, forearms, face, and neck. [...] [page 5] Coal dust should be kept from tracks on which electric locomotives or slate larries travel. 5. A large, low, horse-drawn, four-wheeled cart without sides; also, a similar wagon modified for use on railways. Labels: obsolete Example: In order that these very important mails might not be unnecessarily delayed, we procured an express engine, and having, as is customary in such cases, fastened those for Manchester and the North on a larry between the engine and the Post-office, they being too bulky to travel in the latter, we departed at 8.10, [...] On our arrival at the next station, Crewe, we were much alarmed at the intelligence received from the engineer, that one of the bags on the larry, which proved to be the Carlisle, was on fire: [...] Example: Platelayers, or others, who may have hand lorries or waggons on the line without engines, are strictly charged never to have the same on the line so as to be in the way of a coming train, except for some indispensable purpose, and then special care must be taken to warn any approaching train by proper signal in sufficient time.