(a) A two- or four-wheeled vehicle drawn by horses or by oxen, generally used for conveyance of cargo or passengers, a cart, wagon; also in fig. context [quot. a1425 Templ.Dom.]; waines and cartes, cartes and waines; ~ and plough, bothe) plough and ~, all that one owns, everything; also, completely, thoroughly [last quot.]; a wei ful brod that waines mighte meten, a wei wide inough waines to meten, etc., a roadway broad enough to permit wagons to pass one another; (b) in fig. uses: a chariot as the vehicle that bears the sun, the corporeal body of the Virgin Mary into heaven at the Assumption, etc.; also, the sun; the constellation Ursa Major; pl. the stars constituting the constellations Ursa Major and Ursa Minor [quot. ?a1425, 3rd]; charleman(es (develes, phebus) ~; charle ~, q.v.; (c) a vehicle equipped for use in warfare, a battle chariot; (d) in proverb: ?a hearse; ?the coach of Death personified; (e) a cultivating or threshing implement of some sort, perh. a wheeled plow.

As a measurement of quantity: the cargo required to fill a cart, a wagonload; ~ lode; ~ stones.

In cpds. and combs.: (a) ~ bodi, the body of a cart; ~ bote, a grant of wood sufficient for the repair of a wagon; ~ boue, a yoke for a cart; ~ clout, an iron plate affixed to the axletree of a cart to prevent wear; ~ dai, an allotment of time for the preparation of a vehicle to be used in the provision of compulsory cartage for a lord; ~ felwes, wheels for a wagon or cart; ?~ hedes, ?the forward portions of a cart to which a part of the harness is attached; wain(es man, a wagon driver, a carter; ~ mere, a horse trained or used to draw a wagon; ~ pain, q.v.; ~ rop, a rope used to secure the cargo to a wagon or to attach the draft animals, harnesses, etc.; ?~ shef, ?a payment in grain made in return for cartage and/or harvesting of an overlord’s grain crop; ~ silver, a fee or rent paid to release a tenant from compulsory carting service; ~ streng, a wain rope; ~ tou, ?a chain used to secure a wagon to the draft animals; ~ yok, a yoke for draft animals; (b) coupe ~ (bodi [see coupe n.(1) 1.(c)]; croude ~, q.v.; honde ~ [see honde n. 8.(a)]; muk ~, a manure wagon; ?tou ~, ?a wagon used for towing; turf ~, a turf or peat wagon.

(a) In surnames; (b) in place names [see Smith PNElem. 2.236].