draft horse
1
3.8
- noun
- /dræft hɔrs/
- US
:
caballo de tiro
- Many draft horses are bred for their strength and gentle temperament, making them ideal for farm work.
- Belgian draft horse
- draft horse teams
- draft horses pulling
Examples
-
A tractor does not get tired, but draft horses do.
Academic text (1996) -
Before that time, draft horses were used to pull farm implements.
Academic text (1996) -
I went and borrowed a neighbor's draft horse.
Fiction book (1991) -
Although it was late in the season, John tried to plant a corn crop, but his poor health and broken-down draft horses thwarted his efforts.
Academic text (2008) -
I was looking at the wagons of the king's company, standing all alone with their draft horses standing placidly in sixes before them.
Fiction book (1990) -
As they walked to the house, Milton explained that Bobby was a Percheron and that these were the draft horses of choice for much of the nineteenth century.
Fiction book (2002) -
On the buckboard of the wagon, Shedwyn held the reins, guiding the draft horse down the dirt road while next to her sat Eneas.
Fiction book (1991) -
The leather of the harness creaked with the jostling of the draft horse, and the hooves made a soft thumping on the dirt.
Fiction book (1991) -
The farmer relies on his team of draft horses to plow the fields efficiently.
-
During the festival, we watched draft horses compete in pulling heavy loads.
Synonyms
3
4.0
A horse that pulls a plow on a farm
1
9.9
A horse hitched nearest the wheels to help pull a cart or wagon
1
3.4
A strong horse used to pull heavy loads on a farm
1
9.6
A large strong horse used to pull heavy carts or wagons
1
3.2
A strong horse used to pull carts or heavy loads
1
7.7
A large strong animal that pulls heavy carts or wagons
1
9.0
A large strong horse used to pull heavy loads
1
9.6
A large strong horse breed from France used for pulling heavy loads
A large strong horse that pulls heavy carts or wagons
A strong horse that stands nearest the wheels to help pull a wagon
A strong horse hitched beside the vehicle's pole to help pull it
A horse hitched beside the pole of a wagon or carriage to pull it
A very large strong British horse used to pull heavy loads like carts
How Strong
Surface Forms
Morphology
The compound's meaning is directly compositional: 'draft' (pulling or drawing a load) combined with 'horse' yields a horse used for pulling heavy loads. This pattern is cross-linguistically common (e.g., cheval de trait, caballo de tiro) and follows regular English noun-noun composition, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will readily infer the meaning.
Etymology
Draft horse comes from an older use of draft meaning 'to pull' and the word horse. These big, strong horses were used to pull plows and carts, so the name tells us they are work horses bred for heavy loads.