tram

• POS: Noun

CIDE DICTIONARY

tram, n. [Prov. E. tram a coal wagon, the shaft of a cart or carriage, a beam or bar; probably of Scand, origin; cf. OSw. tråm, trum, a beam, OD. drom, Prov. & OHG. tram.].

•  A four-wheeled truck running on rails, and used in a mine, as for carrying coal or ore.  [1913 Webster]
•  The shaft of a cart.  De Quincey.  [1913 Webster]
•  One of the rails of a tramway.  [1913 Webster]
•  A car on a horse railroad.  [1913 Webster]

Tram car, a car made to run on a tramway, especially a street railway car. -- Tram plate, a flat piece of iron laid down as a rail. -- Tram pot (Milling), the step and support for the lower end of the spindle of a millstone.

tram, n. [Sp. trama weft, or F. trame.].

 A silk thread formed of two or more threads twisted together, used especially for the weft, or cross threads, of the best quality of velvets and silk goods.  [1913 Webster]

tram, n. 

 Same as Trammel, n., 6.  [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

tram, v. t. 

 To convey or transport on a tramway or on a tram car.  [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

tram, v. i. 

 To operate, or conduct the business of, a tramway; to travel by tramway.  [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

tram, n.
1 Brit. an electrically-powered passenger vehicle running on rails laid in a public road.
2 a four-wheeled vehicle used in coal-mines.

Idiom

tram-road hist. a road with wooden, stone, or metal wheel-tracks.

tram, n. (in full tram silk) double silk thread used for the weft of some velvets and silks.

Etymology

F trame f. L trama weft

THESAURUS

tram

L, branch, cable railway, cog railway, el, electric, electric car, electric railway, elevated, elevated railway, embankment, feeder, feeder line, gravity-operated railway, horse railway, junction, light railroad, line, main line, metro, monorail, rack railway, rack-and-pinion railway, rail, rail line, railroad, railway, roadbed, roadway, sidetrack, siding, street railway, streetcar, streetcar line, subway, switchback, terminal, terminus, track, tramcar, tramline, trestle, trolley, trolley car, trolley line, trunk, trunk line, tube, turnout, underground

ROGET THESAURUS

tram

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.