Definition

1. Noun:
   • A large, strong horse bred and used for pulling heavy loads, especially carts: A "cart horse" is specifically a type of draft horse, characterized by its power, sturdy build, and calm temperament, making it suitable for pulling vehicles like carts or wagons.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The farmer used a reliable cart horse to bring his goods to the market.
  • Before trucks were common, the cart horse was essential for transportation and farm work.

Advanced Usage

• "work like a cart horse": To work very hard, performing heavy physical labor.
  • He's been working like a cart horse all week to finish the construction project.

Variants and Related Words

• Dray horse: Another term for a heavy horse used for pulling loads, often synonymous with "cart horse."
• Draft horse (US) / Draught horse (UK): The general category of large, powerful horses used for pulling heavy loads, which includes cart horses.
• Carthorse: An alternative, single-word spelling.

Synonyms

• Draft horse: A horse bred for heavy work.
• Workhorse: An animal or person that performs hard work over a long period.

Related Phrases

• Cart and horse: Sometimes used in the idiom "putting the cart before the horse," meaning to do things in the wrong order. (Note: This idiom uses the words separately and is not a direct variant of the compound noun "cart horse").

Noun

1. draft horse kept for pulling carts