DCHP-1 Online

handsleigh

• 1 n. a small sled pulled by hand.

  See also: sleigh ((n.)) (def. 3a)  

  • a1820  (1838)  [The trees] had been felled, cut into lengths, and removed by means of small hand sleighs purposely prepared for them. . . .
  • 1836  We were overtaken . . . by S--with a handsleigh, which is a sort of wheelbarrow, such as porters use, without sides, and instead of a wheel, is fixed on wooden runners, which you can drag over the snow and ice with the greatest ease, if ever so heavily laden.
  • 1961  The personnel . . . detrained . . .; then native birch was whittled to build hand sleighs, which were pulled over deep wet snow until Spring 1912.
  • 1964  . . . for some years the settlers had to make a journey of several weeks in open boats--or with hand-sleighs upon the ice in winter--to the nearest mill at Long Point.

• 2 n. a small sled used by children for coasting.

  See also: coasting  sleigh ((n.)) (def. 3b)  

  • 1852  There was a time when we could in winter sleigh, on our handsleighs, down from the Court House door to Mr. Cooch's "Emporium."
  • 1932  We know it is not safe practice for children to run and hook their little handsleighs on behind some big bob sleigh. . . .
  • 1947  Soon . . . two little girls . . . joined us with their hand-sleighs.