sledge

¹

[slej]

noun

1. a vehicle of various forms, mounted on runners and often drawn by draft animals, used for traveling or for conveying loads over snow, ice, rough ground, etc.

2. a sled.

3. British.,  a sleigh.

verb (used with or without object)

sledged, sledging 

1. to convey or travel by sledge.

verb (used without object)

sledged, sledging 

1. British.,  to sleigh.

sledge

²

[slej]

noun

sledged, sledging 

1. sledgehammer.

sledge

¹

/ slɛd, slɛdʒ /

noun

1. Also called: sleigh. a vehicle mounted on runners, drawn by horses or dogs, for transporting people or goods, esp over snow

2. a light wooden frame used, esp by children, for sliding over snow; toboggan

3. a farm vehicle mounted on runners, for use on rough or muddy ground

verb

1. to convey, travel, or go by sledge

sledge

²

/ slɛdʒ /

verb

1. (tr) to bait (an opponent, esp a batsman in cricket) in order to upset his concentration

noun

1. an insult aimed at another player during a game of cricket

sledge

³

/ slɛdʒ /

noun

1. short for sledgehammer

Other Word Forms

• sledger noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of sledge¹

1595–1605; < dialectal Dutch sleeds, derivative of slede sled; sleigh

Origin of sledge²

before 1000; Middle English slegge, Old English slecg; cognate with Dutch slegge, Old Norse sleggja; akin to slay

Word History and Origins

Origin of sledge¹

C17: from Middle Dutch sleedse; C14 sled, from Middle Low German, from Old Norse slethi, related to _slide

Origin of sledge²

of uncertain origin; perhaps from _sledgehammer

Example Sentences

He was best known for his love of the husky dogs used to pull sledges around the island, and he raised two litters of dogs.

From BBC

You could get by gondola up to the mouth of the Euclid trail, where the donkey trolleys dragged the sledges up toward Baldy.

From Los Angeles Times

There was no aggression thrown at them, no sledging, nothing to throw them off their stride.

From BBC

Never one to take a backward step, Gill sledged James Anderson and Jonny Bairstow in a Test in India, while umpires have felt his presence when in charge at the IPL.

From BBC

Australia's sledging perhaps masked some of their own struggles as they build towards hosting an Ashes series against England, with captain Pat Cummins hinting changes could be afoot for a forthcoming tour to West Indies.

From BBC

Related Words

• bobsled 
• luge