[F. traîneau, in OF. trahinel, traïnel, deriv. of traîner: see TRAIN v.1] A sledge, sleigh; esp. one drawn by one or more horses over snow or ice.
[1676. Lady Chaworth, in 12th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm., App. V. 34. She hath also great pleasure in one of those sledges which they call Trainias, and is pulled up and down the ponds in them every day.]
a. 1715. Burnet, Own Time (1753), III. iv. 10. He was driving the Princess upon the Snow in a Trainau.
1873. Forest & Stream, 11 Dec., 273/2. Our traineau, heavily loaded, follows behind.
attrib. 1779. J. Moore, View Soc. Fr. (1793), I. 398. Among the winter amusements of this place [Frankfurt], traineau parties may be reckoned.
