prairie-schooner
Definition
Noun - A covered wagon used by pioneers: A "prairie-schooner" is a large, horse-drawn wagon with a canvas cover, historically used by American settlers traveling westward across the prairies in the 19th century. The name comes from its resemblance to a schooner (a type of sailing ship) gliding across the sea-like grasslands.
Usage Examples
- (They used a covered wagon for their journey westward.)
- (A group of covered wagons traveled together.)
Advanced Usage
- "prairie-schooner" as a historical symbol: The term is often used in historical narratives and literature to evoke the spirit of American westward expansion and pioneer life.
- The museum displayed a restored prairie-schooner, complete with wooden wheels and canvas top. (The exhibit showed an authentic covered wagon.)
Variants and Related Words
- Schooner (n): a type of sailing ship with two or more masts; also a short form of "prairie-schooner."
- The schooner sailed smoothly across the ocean. (The sailing ship moved easily.)
- Covered wagon (n): a general term for any wagon with a protective cover, often used synonymously with "prairie-schooner."
- The covered wagon protected the settlers from rain and sun. (The wagon's cover provided shelter.)
Synonyms
- Wagon: a four-wheeled vehicle for carrying goods.
- Conestoga wagon: a specific type of heavy, broad-wheeled covered wagon used in the eastern United States, sometimes confused with the lighter prairie-schooner.
- Pioneer wagon: a wagon used by early settlers.
Related Idioms
- "Hitch your wagon to a prairie-schooner": A metaphorical expression meaning to join a westward journey or to commit to a pioneering effort.
- They hitched their wagon to a prairie-schooner and left their old life behind. (They committed to the westward migration.)
Notes
- Historical context: The prairie-schooner was lighter and smaller than the Conestoga wagon, designed specifically for long-distance travel across flat grasslands. It typically carried a family's supplies, food, and tools, and was pulled by oxen or horses.