curricle

curricle

A gentleman drives a curricle through the park.

Definition
  1. Noun:
    • A light, two-wheeled carriage drawn by two horses abreast, popular in the late 18th and early 19th centuries for fast, elegant travel.
Usage Examples
  • (A carriage pulled by two horses.)
  • (A stylish, two-wheeled vehicle.)
Advanced Usage
  • "to tool along in a curricle": to travel in a casual or showy manner using this carriage.
    • He was seen tooling along in his curricle, waving to passersby. (Driving leisurely and conspicuously.)
Variants and Related Words
  • Curricle (n): no common variants; the word is specific to historical carriage types.
Synonyms
  • Chaise: a light, usually two-wheeled carriage for one or two persons.
  • Gig: a light, two-wheeled carriage pulled by a single horse.
Related Idioms
  • To be in the curricle set: (historical) to belong to the fashionable, wealthy class who owned such carriages.
    • Only the curricle set could afford such expensive vehicles in Regency England. (The elite social group.)