trolley
B1Neutral to Informal
Definition
Meaning
A wheeled vehicle or cart, typically for transporting goods or people.
A device for collecting current from an overhead electric wire to power a vehicle; a serving cart for food and drinks; a low, wheeled table; a streetcar or tram (chiefly British).
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The meaning shifts significantly between British and American English. In BrE, it's strongly associated with public transport (tram) and shopping carts. In AmE, it's more associated with service carts, luggage carriers, and streetcars (though less common).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In BrE, 'trolley' primarily means a shopping cart or a tram. In AmE, it primarily means a wheeled cart for luggage, food service, or a streetcar. 'Shopping trolley' (BrE) vs. 'shopping cart' (AmE). 'Trolleybus' exists in both, but 'tram' is more common in BrE for the rail vehicle.
Connotations
BrE: everyday shopping, public transport. AmE: airports, hotels, hospitals, or historical/urban transport.
Frequency
Higher frequency in BrE due to common use for shopping. In AmE, specific contexts (e.g., 'luggage trolley', 'dessert trolley') make it less common in daily speech.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
push a trolleyload the trolleywheel a trolleyderail a trolleycatch a trolleyVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “off one's trolley (crazy)”
- “trolley problem (ethical dilemma)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Logistics: 'We use trolleys for moving stock in the warehouse.'
Academic
Ethics/Philosophy: 'The trolley problem is a classic thought experiment.'
Everyday
Shopping: 'Can you grab a trolley? We need a big shop today.'
Technical
Engineering: 'The overhead trolley system is used for precise component transfer.'
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The porter will trolley your bags to the room.
- They trolleyed the equipment across the festival site.
American English
- The waiter trolleyed the dessert selection to our table.
- We need to trolley these boxes to the shipping dock.
adverb
British English
- (Rare/Non-standard)
American English
- (Rare/Non-standard)
adjective
British English
- The trolley bus network is being expanded.
- We faced a trolley-related injury in the supermarket.
American English
- The city's trolley system is a tourist attraction.
- He works on the trolley line maintenance crew.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I put the food in the trolley.
- The trolley is full.
- Could you help me find a luggage trolley at the station?
- In some cities, you can travel by trolley.
- The hotel offers a complimentary trolley service for guests' luggage.
- The ethical debate centered on a variation of the classic trolley problem.
- The proposal to reintroduce electric trolleys to the city centre is gaining political traction.
- The dessert trolley, laden with patisserie, was wheeled to our table with considerable ceremony.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of TROLLEY as something that ROLLS with WHEELS (the 'roll' sound is in the middle).
Conceptual Metaphor
MOVEMENT/TRANSPORT IS A WHEELED VEHICLE (e.g., 'the project is finally on the trolley' implying progress).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid translating as 'троллейбус' (trolleybus) for all contexts. For a shopping cart, use 'тележка'. For a tram, use 'трамвай'.
- The idiom 'off one's trolley' means 'съехавший с катушек/не в себе', not related to transport.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'trolley' for a baby stroller/pram (incorrect).
- Using 'trolley' as a general verb for pushing (use 'wheel' or 'push' instead).
- Confusing 'trolley' (cart) with 'dolly' (a platform on casters).
Practice
Quiz
In British English, what is the most common meaning of 'trolley' in a supermarket context?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
In British English, yes, they are often synonyms for the rail-based public transport vehicle. In American English, 'streetcar' or 'trolley' is used, while 'tram' is less common.
Americans typically call it a 'shopping cart' or just 'cart'. 'Trolley' in the US is more for luggage, service, or transport vehicles.
Yes, though it's less common. It means to transport or move something using a trolley (e.g., 'The luggage was trolleyed to the gate').
It is a famous ethical thought experiment in philosophy, involving a choice between saving multiple lives at the cost of one life, often illustrated with a runaway trolley.