horse litter

English

A single-horse Sioux litter (1899)

A standard two-horse litter in Portugal (1814)

A section of the Ming-era "Departure Herald", displaying a litter being borne by the riders atop four horses

Alternative forms

• horse-litter, horselitter

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈhɔrsˌlɪdər/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈhɔːsˌlɪtə/

Noun

horse litter (plural horse litters)

1. A litter pulled or borne by one horse or borne on poles borne by two or more horses. [1388]
2. (uncommon) Synonym of horsecart, particularly in contexts for carrying the injured or deceased in early cart ambulances or hearses. [1591]
3. Straw or similar litter used for horses' rest or, once mixed with horse urine and excrement, as a waste product or fertilizer. [1624]

Hypernyms

• (all senses): litter

Hyponyms

• (horse-borne litter): takhtrawan (enclosed Middle Eastern & South Asian form)

References

• “horse-litter, n.”, in OED Online ⁠, Oxford: Oxford University Press, launched 2000.