sb. [f. TREAD v. + WHEEL sb.] A wheel rotated by the treading of persons or animals to give motion to machinery, to pump or raise water, etc.; esp. a wheel turned by the weight of a person or animal walking forward on the inside of its periphery; also, = TREADMILL.
c. 1573. Lansdowne MS. 101, lf. 81. The Trade Whele where uppon men or horse stondyth.
1629. Patent Specif. (1856), No. 48. 1. An engine … which goeth downe to the bottome … of the Worke where it is to be used either by a Treadwheele meanes, hands [etc.].
1660. R. D’Acres, Art Water-drawing, 12. Certain great hollow wheels, hanging perpendicularly, in which men tread (called by some tread-wheels) not unlike unto a dog in a spit-wheel.
1799. Specif. Hardie’s Patent, No. 2300. The steps … serve for the men to mount upon or dismount from the tread wheel.
1822. Gentl. Mag., July, 9. A party of prisoners … working one of the Tread-wheels of the Discipline Mill, invented by Mr. Cubitt.
1839. I. Taylor, Anc. Chr., I. iii. 362. Ascetics … wasting themselves to skeletons on the treadwheel of their devout taskwork.
Hence Tread-wheel v., trans. to inflict the discipline of the treadmill upon; whence Treadwheeling vbl. sb.
1831. Lincoln Herald, 7 Oct., 4. Let these officials moderate their … fines, and treadwheeling.
