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Wheelhorse
Definitions
- 1 One of a team of horses which is nearest to the wheels of a carriage, as opposed to a leader or forward horse. US, dated
"The off wheel-horſe a grey, named Single Peeper, ſold for 50 [guineas] […] The near wheel-horſe cheſnut, named Chance."
- 2 A person who labors heavily for a particular cause, without being concerned about recognition. US, figuratively
"[F]rom his [Benjamin Ruggles'] well-known habits of industry and constant devotion to the interests of his constituents, he was called "The Wheelhorse of the Senate.""
- 3 A foot-propelled vehicle; a bicycle. historical, obsolete
"In 1830 a bold and vigorous attempt was made to utilize the wheel-horse. A French post-office official, M. Dreuze by name, brought forward an improvement on the old two-wheel velocipede, which bid fair to be successful. […] A number of the country letter-carriers were mounted on the wheel-horse, and whilst the roads continued dry and hard M. Dreuze could congratulate himself on the success of his invention; but with wet weather came bad roads, and to the wet succeeded frost and snow. A little extra labour was all that was required to overcome the extra friction of the bad roads, but the wheels refused to progress on the slippy frozen surface."
Etymology
From wheel + horse. Sense 2 (“person who labors heavily for a cause”) is from the fact that a horse nearest to the wheels of a carriage that it is drawing does much of the pulling work.
See also for "wheelhorse"
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