What does "drayhorse" mean?
A large, powerful horse used for pulling drays.
Drayhorse
/ˈdreɪˌhɔrs/ noun
noun ·Rare ·Advanced level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A large, powerful horse used for pulling drays.
- Grammar: drayhorse is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: cart horse, carthorse, draft horse, draught horse.
- Useful contrasts: nonpulling horse, nonworking horse.
- Usage evidence: Then his dray-horſe and he, in the ſtreets we did ſee, With his hanger, his ſling, and bis jacket; Long time he did watch, to meet with his match; For he'd ever a mind to the placket.
How to use "drayhorse"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "drayhorse" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "drayhorse" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "drayhorse" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "drayhorse" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "drayhorse" is acting as noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "cart horse" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
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Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "drayhorse", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A large, powerful horse used for pulling drays.
"Then his dray-horſe and he, in the ſtreets we did ſee, With his hanger, his ſling, and bis jacket; Long time he did watch, to meet with his match; For he'd ever a mind to the placket."
- 2 draft horse kept for pulling carts wordnet
- 3 Someone who undergoes or underwent many a hardship, who suffers some great burden; a burdened, beleaguered, downtrodden man. broadly
""Archbiſhops, Biſhops," (ſo ſays Doctor Parr) "By delta, Beta, merely, have been made : "Why from the mitre then am I ſo far; "So long a dray-horſe in this thundering trade ? "O Pitt, ſhame on thee !—art thou ſtill to ſeek "The ſoul of wiſdom in the ſound of Greek ?""
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
nonpulling horsenonworking horse
Example
"Then his dray-horſe and he, in the ſtreets we did ſee, With his hanger, his ſling, and bis jacket; Long time he did watch, to meet with his match; For he'd ever a mind to the placket."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "drayhorse"?
Common synonyms include: cart horse, carthorse, draft horse, draught horse, workhorse.
How do you use "drayhorse" in a sentence?
Then his dray-horſe and he, in the ſtreets we did ſee, With his hanger, his ſling, and bis jacket; Long time he did watch, to meet with his match; For he'd ever a mind to the placket.
How do you pronounce "drayhorse"?
Pronounced /ˈdreɪˌhɔrs/.
Etymology
First attested in 1645; compound of dray + horse.