dray

• enPR: drā, IPA^(key): /dɹeɪ/
• Rhymes: -eɪ

From Middle English draye, dreye, from Old English dræġe (“dragnet”), from Proto-Germanic *dragǭ. Cognate with Middle Low German drāge (“stretcher; dray”), Middle High German trage (“a litter”). Related to Old English dragan (“to pull; draw”). More at draw.

dray (plural drays)

1. A low horse-drawn cart, often without sides, and used especially for heavy loads.
   • 1900, Charles W. Chesnutt, chapter I, in The House Behind the Cedars:

     Standing foursquare in the heart of the town, at the intersection of the two main streets, a “jog” at each street corner left around the market-house a little public square, which at this hour was well occupied by carts and wagons from the country and empty drays awaiting hire

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Addison to this entry?)

2. A kind of sledge or sled.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Halliwell to this entry?)

• drayage, drayman

Unknown.

dray (plural drays)

1. Alternative spelling of drey, the nest of a squirrel.

• dray at OneLook Dictionary Search
• dray in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911

• Dyar, Rady, Yard, adry, yard