Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun Same as swingletree.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun The pivoted or swinging bar to which the traces of a harnessed horse are fixed; a whiffletree.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun A bar behind draft animals and in front of a load, such as a wagon, that balances the load. Generally the animals are attached at the ends and the wagon or other load to a pivot in the middle of the singletree.

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Alteration (influenced by doubletree) of swingletree.]

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Examples

  • _aparejo_ or an _arroyo_ as casually as Jack would say "singletree" or

    The Eagle's Heart Hamlin Garland 1900

  • Searching behind the rectangular boulder, he detected part of a buried metal singletree, a device used in harnessing horses.

    Shadow of the Sentinel WARREN GETLER 2003

  • There in the creek, which was deep but still narrow enough to step across with scarcely a hop, was a catfish that looked longer than a singletree for an ox team, though much greater in girth.

    Cold Mountain Frazier, Charles, 1950- Cold Mountain 2003

  • Playmate began to poke and prod me with a singletree forefinger.

    Angry Lead Skies Cook, Glen 2002

  • Several period artifacts were found in the second boat, including a bottle and coin of pre-Civil War date, two corn knives, a singletree (used in hoisting loads), horseshoes, and leather goods.

    Vintage Canal Boats 1998

  • There in the creek, which was deep but still narrow enough to step across with scarcely a hop, was a catfish that looked longer than a singletree for an ox team, though much greater in girth.

    Cold Mountain Frazier, Charles, 1950- Cold Mountain 1997

  • The main thing that bothered him was that he lacked a saddle, but July took care of that by borrowing an old singletree from Peach Johnson.

    The Lonesome Dove Series Larry McMurtry 1995

  • The main thing that bothered him was that he lacked a saddle, but July took care of that by borrowing an old singletree from Peach Johnson.

    Lonesome Dove Larry McMurtry 1985

  • The main thing that bothered him was that he lacked a saddle, but July took care of that by borrowing an old singletree from Peach Johnson.

    Lonesome Dove McMurtry, Larry 1985

  • "It's better than that old singletree of yours," Pea Eye said.

    Lonesome Dove McMurtry, Larry 1985

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