Definitions For Wheelhorse

Noun

WHEELHORSE (plural WHEELHORSEs) (US, dated) One of a team of horse#noun, horses which is nearest to the wheel#noun, wheels of a carriage, as opposed to a leader or forward#adjective, forward horse. (US, figuratively) A person who labor#verb, labors heavily for a particular cause#noun, cause, without being concern#verb, concerned about recognition. (obsolete, or, historical) A foot#noun, foot-propelled vehicle; a bicycle#noun, bicycle.

Alternative forms

wheel horse wheel-horse

Synonyms

horse nearest to the wheels of a carriage wheeler

Translations

See also

draft horse workhorse

Etymology

, USA, June 11–13, 1901.From {{cite-journal, magazine=The American Florist: A Weekly Journal for the Trade, location=Chicago, Ill., publisher=American Florist Company, date=22 June 1901, volume=XVI, issue=681, section=page facing page 1668, sectionurl=https://archive.org/stream/americanfloristw22amer/#page/n792/mode/1up, oclc=1479872}}. A wheelhorse (sense 1) is the horse nearest to the wheels of a carriage.]] wheel + horse. sense 2 (“person who labors heavily for a cause”) is from the fact that a horse nearest to the wheels of a carriage that it is drawing does much of the pulling work.

Anagrams

horsewheel