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Glite Dictionary
whiffletree

whiffletree

9.9
A bar that connects a horse to a cart and spreads the load
  • noun
  • /ˈwɪfəlˌtri/
  • Specialized
translation icon : barra de equilibrio
  • The old carriage was restored with its original whiffletree still intact.

Examples

  • The whiffletree helps balance the load on the wagon.

  • He examined the whiffletree to make sure it was firmly fixed before harnessing the horses.

  • A broken whiffletree can make pulling heavy loads much harder for the animal.

  • Farmers often check the whiffletree for wear and tear.

  • The farmer adjusted the whiffletree to ensure the harness fit securely on the horse.

  • A properly aligned whiffletree helps distribute the load evenly across the draft animal and wagon.

  • When the team of oxen pulled the cart, the whiffletree played a crucial role in balancing the weight.

Synonyms

swingletree
vswhiffletree
  • Archaic
9.9

A bar that connects a working horse's harness to a cart to spread the pulling force

is used with any draft animal rather than only horses
swingle
vswhiffletree
  • Archaic
9.9

A wooden bar that joins and balances the harness straps of two animals pulling a cart

is the general crossbar not limited to wooden material
whippletree
vswhiffletree
  • Specialized
9.9

A bar that pivots in the middle to spread a horse's pull across a wagon

is the same device described without specifying a central pivot

Surface Forms

whiffletree singular
whiffletrees plural

Etymology

Whiffletree likely comes from old parts like whiffle ('to move back and forth') and tree ('wood' or 'bar'). So a whiffletree is the wooden crossbar that rocks a little to share the pulling load between animals and a cart.