trolley

1 of 2

noun

trol·​ley ˈträ-lē 

variants or less commonly trolly

plural trolleys also trollies

1

a

: a streetcar powered electrically through a trolley

called also trolley car

b

: a device that carries electric current from an overhead wire to an electrically driven vehicle

2

: a wheeled carriage running on an overhead rail or track

3

chiefly British : a cart or wheeled stand used for conveying something (such as food or books)

4

dialectal, England : a cart of any of various kinds

trolley

2 of 2

verb

variants or less commonly trolly

trolleyed also trollied; trolleying also trollying

transitive verb

: to convey by a trolley

intransitive verb

: to ride on a trolley

Examples of trolley in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Back in Crown Point, Sal forces Oz to take him to the trolley tunnels and the Bliss operation. —Joe Otterson, Variety, 4 Nov. 2024

Shoreline trolley: This seasonal trolley service typically runs from late June to September between Ogunquit and Lower Village Kennebunk, with stops at the Kennebunk beaches and in Wells. —Lila Harron Battis, Travel + Leisure, 9 Oct. 2024

Verb

The 360-degree spinner wheels are easy to trolley across terminals. —Sian Babish, chicagotribune.com, 22 Sep. 2020

Word History

Etymology

Noun

probably from troll entry 2

First Known Use

Noun

1823, in the meaning defined at sense 4

Verb

1882, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Phrases Containing trolley

• off one's trolley
• trackless trolley

Kids Definition

trolley

noun

trol·​ley

variants also trolly

ˈträl-ē

plural trolleys also trollies

1

a

: a device for carrying current from a wire to an electrically driven vehicle

b

: a streetcar that runs on tracks and gets its electric power through a trolley

called also trolley car

2

: a wheeled carriage running on an overhead rail or track

Medical Definition

trolley

noun

trol·​ley

variants also trolly

ˈträl-ē 

plural trolleys also trollies

British

: gurney