tractor

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: trac=tor

CIDE DICTIONARY

tractor, n. [NL., from L. trahere, tractum, to draw.].

•  That which draws, or is used for drawing.  [1913 Webster]
•  Two small, pointed rods of metal, formerly used in the treatment called Perkinism.  [1913 Webster]
•  a motor vehicle with a powerful engine and large wheels, used to pull farm equipment such as plows, harvesting machinery, etc., over farm land. Smaller forms of farm tractor are completely open, with only a seat for the driver.  [PJC]
•  a motor vehicle with a driver's cab and a powerful engine, fitted with a coupling at the rear, and designed to pull a large trailer or semi-trailer on the open highway; -- called also truck tractor. The combination of such a tractor with its trailer is called a tractor-trailer, and is a common form of truck used for commercial shipping of freight.  [PJC]
•  A propeller screw placed in front of the supporting planes of an aëroplane instead of behind them, so that it exerts a pull instead of a push; -- called also Tractor screw and Tractor propeller.  [Webster 1913 Suppl.]
•  An airplane having one or more tractor propellers; -- called also tractor airplane.  [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

tractor, n.
1 a motor vehicle used for hauling esp. farm machinery, heavy loads, etc.
2 a traction-engine.

Etymology

LL tractor (as TRACTION)

THESAURUS

tractor

Cat, Caterpillar, DUKW, Rome plow, amphibian, bulldozer, calfdozer, crawler, creeper, double-prop, duck, go-devil, grader, halftrack, lawn-tractor, multi-prop, piston plane, propeller plane, propjet, pusher, pusher plane, scraper, single-prop, tank, tracklayer, traction engine, turbo-prop, turbo-propeller plane, twin-prop

ROGET THESAURUS

tractor

Vehicle

N vehicle, conveyance, carriage, caravan, van, common carrier, wagon, waggon, wain, dray, cart, lorry, truck, tram, cariole, carriole, limber, tumbrel, pontoon, barrow, wheel barrow, hand barrow, perambulator, Bath chair, wheel chair, sedan chair, chaise, palankeen, palanquin, litter, brancard, crate, hurdle, stretcher, ambulance, black Maria, conestoga wagon, conestoga wain, jinrikisha, ricksha, brett, dearborn, dump cart, hack, hackery, jigger, kittereen, mailstate, manomotor, rig, rockaway, prairie schooner, shay, sloven, team, tonga, wheel, hobbyhorse, go-cart, cycle, bicycle, bike, two-wheeler, tricycle, velocipede, quadricycle, equipage, turn-out, coach, chariot, phaeton, break, mail phaeton, wagonette, drag, curricle, tilbury, whisky, landau, barouche, victoria, brougham, clarence, calash, caleche, britzka, araba, kibitka, berlin, sulky, desobligeant, sociable, vis-a-vis, dormeuse, jaunting car, outside car, dandi, doolie, dooly, munchil, palki, roller skates, skate, runabout, ski, tonjon, vettura, post chaise, diligence, stage, stage coach, mail coach, hackney coach, glass coach, stage wagon, car, omnibus, fly, cabriolet, cab, hansom, shofle, four-wheeler, growler, droshki, drosky, dogcart, trap, whitechapel, buggy, four-in-hand, unicorn, random, tandem, shandredhan, char-a-bancs, motor car, automobile, limousine, car, auto, jalopy, clunker, lemon, flivver, coupe, sedan, two-door sedan, four-door sedan, luxury sedan, wheels, sports car, roadster, gran turismo, jeep, four-wheel drive vehicle, electric car, steamer, golf cart, electric wagon, taxicab, cab, taxicoach, checker cab, yellow cab, station wagon, family car, motorcycle, motor bike, side car, van, minivan, bus, minibus, microbus, truck, wagon, pick-up wagon, pick-up, tractor- trailer, road train, articulated vehicle, racing car, racer, hot rod, stock car, souped-up car, bob, bobsled, bobsleigh, cutter, double ripper, double runner, jumper, sled, sledge, sleigh, toboggan, train, accommodation train, passenger train, express trail, special train, corridor train, parliamentary train, luggage train, freight train, goods train, 1st class train, 2nd class train, 3rd class train, 1st class carriage, 2nd class carriage, 3rd class carriage, 1st class compartment, 2nd class compartment, 3rd class compartment, rolling stock, horse box, cattle truck, baggage car, express car, freight car, parlor car, dining car, Pullman car, sleeping car, sleeper, dome car, surface car, tram car, trolley car, box car, box wagon, horse car, bullet train, shinkansen, cannonball, the Wabash cannonball, lightning express, luggage van, mail, mail car, mail van, shovel, spool, spatula, ladle, hod, hoe, spade, spaddle, loy, spud, pitchfork, post hole digger, tractor, steamshovel, backhoe, fork lift, earth mover, dump truck, bulldozer, grader, caterpillar, trench digger, steamroller, pile driver, crane, wrecking crane.