Also 6 trailor, 6–7 traylor. [f. TRAIL v.1 + -ER1.]
1. One who trails or drags something.
1808. Sporting Mag., XXXII. 134. The trailer indolently drags his stick after him.
1864. Realm, 13 April, 2. Some trailer of coat-tails, looking out for a head to break.
† 2. One who travels on foot (cf. TRAIL v.1 6); esp. a footpad. Obs. slang.
1591. Greene, Art Conny Catch., II. (1592), 4. Some base Priggar that … is a Trailer. The Trailer is one that goeth on foot.
3. A hound, or a huntsman, that hunts by the trail; one that follows a trail, a tracker.
1590. Cokaine, Treat. Hunting, B ij. You must chuse out … two couple to be trailors of an olde Foxe and finders of him. Ibid., D ij b [see TRAIL sb.1 8].
1859. Marcy, Prairie Trav., v. 173. I have seen very few white men who were good trailers.
1899. Scribner’s Mag., XXV. 16/1. The Texas Rangers … were splendid shots, horsemen, and trailers.
1903. Forest & Stream, 24 Jan., 74/2. Bloodhounds … are not at all superior to the foxhound as trailers.
4. Something that trails, drags along, or hangs draggling; esp. a trailing plant or branch (cf. creeper); in quot. 1613–39, a trailing decoration.
1613–39. I. Jones, in Leoni, Palladio’s Archit. (1742), II. 45. This single Traylor does well, because of the Distance.
1832. Tennyson, Eleänore, 38. Many a deep-hued bell-like flower Of fragrant trailers.
1870. Lowell, Study Wind., 15. A pair of orioles built on the lowest trailer of a weeping elm.
1880. Miss Bird, Japan, I. 173. An ocean of trees entangled with a beautiful trailer.
1882. Garden, in Feb., 106/3. Mikania pulverulenta … is a pretty trailer.
5. The rear wheel of a front-driven bicycle, or one of the rear wheels of a locomotive, as opposed to the driver or driving-wheel; a trailing-wheel.
1884. Cycl. Tour. Cl. Gaz., Nov., 341/2. The specimen … has a driving wheel of 36 inches, and a trailer measuring 24 inches.
1895. Model Steam Engine, 58. 2nd, drivers or driving-wheels; 3rd, trailers or trailing wheels [of a locomotive].
1906. Westm. Gaz., 25 Sept., 7/1. The Atlantic engine … had four driving wheels, two rear wheels which are called trailers, and four wheels in front of the drivers. Only the driving and trailing wheels had brakes.
6. a. A rail or road car designed to be drawn along by a motor vehicle. Also attrib., as trailer-car, -coach, -wagon. b. A small carriage, usually a light chair on wheels, drawn along behind by a bicycle or tricycle.
1890. Columbus (Ohio) Dispatch, 5 Aug. The line is to start with five motor cars for winter service, with some ‘trailers’ for excursion business.
1900. Engineering Mag., XIX. 737. By the adoption of a steam waggon and trailer, a full load of 5 tons being carried into Manchester twice a day.
1901. Scotsman, 2 March, 12/5. The motor car, or motor car and trailer now so familiar in tramway practice.
1904. Daily Chron., 12 May, 3/3. The Act of 1896 … limited the weight of a motor-car to three tons unladen, and of a motor with trailer-wagon to four tons.
1909. Times, 9 July, 3/3. He was in a trailer attached to a motor-tricycle.
7. A kind of self-acting brake consisting of a prop attached to the rear of a vehicle, to catch on the ground and prevent the vehicle from running backwards down an incline; also called a stopper.
1877. in Knight, Dict. Mech.
8. A vessel used about 1800 in mackerel-fishing, having long poles or outriggers on each side, with baited lines about 20 fathoms long fastened to them.
1891. in Cent. Dict.
