wagon
gb/wˈæɡən/ us/wˈæɡən/
A2
English
~ 9900
szekér, húzókocsi, kombi, tehervagon, vasúti teherkocsi, hárpia, ribanc
NOUN
A2
1
Usage pattern:
pull [a wagon]
The farmer loaded the wagon with hay before driving it back to the barn.
A gazda szénával rakta meg a szekeret, mielőtt visszahajtott vele a pajtába.
The children took turns pulling each other around the yard in the red wagon.
A gyerekek felváltva húzták egymást körbe az udvaron a piros kiskocsiban.
A line of covered wagons slowly crossed the dusty plain.
They hitched the horses to the wagon at sunrise.
The movers used a flatbed wagon to carry the heavy boxes across the yard.
Learner examples
The boy pulls his little sister in the wagon.
A fiú a kiskocsiban húzza a kishúgát.
The horse pulls a big wagon full of wood.
A ló egy nagy, fával teli szekeret húz.
We put our bags on the wagon and walk to the house.
The red wagon is full of toys.
The farmer uses a wagon to carry vegetables.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use "wagon" when they mean a normal car, but in modern English a normal car is usually called a "car". "Wagon" by itself usually means a simple vehicle that is pulled by an animal or a person, or it appears in the fixed term "station wagon" for a type of car.
Meaning
Four-wheeled vehicle for carrying loads
Collocations
pull a wagon
|horse-drawn wagon
|farm wagon
|toy wagon
|covered wagon
|load the wagon
Synonyms
cart (Often has two wheels instead of four and can be smaller or lighter than a wagon.)
|
carriage (Usually refers to a wagon designed mainly for carrying people, often more comfortable or elegant.)
Themes
transport
|daily life
|farming
|transportation
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A vehicle with four wheels that is used to carry things or people and is pulled by a horse, tractor, or person, not by its own motor.
A strong, usually four-wheeled vehicle used for carrying goods or people, typically pulled by animals, a tractor, or a person and not powered by its own engine.
NOUN
B2
2
kombi
B1
Usage pattern:
drive [a wagon]
They bought a used station wagon so their dogs would have more space in the back.
Vettek egy használt kombit, hogy a kutyáiknak több helyük legyen hátul.
The wagon has enough room to carry both kids, the stroller, and the camping gear.
A kombiban elfér a két gyerek, a babakocsi és a kempingfelszerelés is.
He prefers a wagon to a sedan because of the extra cargo space.
The new hybrid wagon gets excellent gas mileage for its size.
We rented a wagon for the road trip so we could fit all the luggage.
Learner examples
My parents drive a big station wagon.
A szüleim egy nagy kombival járnak.
We put our bags in the back of the wagon.
A táskáinkat a kombi hátuljába tettük.
The wagon is good for a family with three children.
They sold their small car and bought a wagon.
The wagon has a large door at the back.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes think "wagon" always means a horse-drawn vehicle. In car ads or everyday talk about cars, especially in American English, "wagon" often means a "station wagon", a long family car with a big back space.
Meaning
Passenger car with extended cargo back
Collocations
station wagon
|family wagon
|sport wagon
|compact wagon
|four-wheel-drive wagon
Synonyms
station wagon (The full and most common term for this type of car in American English; "wagon" alone is a shortened form in some contexts.)
|
estate car (British English term for the same type of car.)
Antonyms
sedan (A common type of car with a separate, smaller trunk rather than an extended open cargo area.)
Themes
transport
|family
|transportation
|daily_life
Definition
A kind of car that has a long back part for bags or things, with a big door at the back. It is often a family car. In American English it is called a "station wagon".
A type of passenger car with a longer body and an extended rear cargo area, usually with a full-height rear door, often used as a family car.
NOUN
C1
TECHNICAL
3
tehervagon
B2
Usage pattern:
a freight wagon carries [something]
Several coal wagons were added to the back of the freight train.
Több szénszállító vagont kapcsoltak a tehervonat végére.
Each wagon was loaded with steel coils bound for the port.
Minden vagont a kikötőbe szánt acéltekercsekkel rakodtak meg.
The derailment damaged three goods wagons but no passengers were hurt.
Workers checked the brakes on every wagon before the train left the yard.
The chemical spill came from a leaking tank wagon.
Learner examples
The train pulls many wagons full of coal.
A vonat sok szénnel teli vagont húz.
Each wagon on the train carries heavy metal.
A vonat minden vagonja nehéz fémet szállít.
They put the cars on a special wagon.
The factory sends goods by wagon on the railway.
A long train of wagons passes the station.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this meaning with the general four-wheeled vehicle pulled by animals. In railway contexts, especially in British and technical English, a "wagon" is a freight vehicle that runs on train tracks.
Meaning
Railway vehicle for carrying freight
Collocations
freight wagon
|goods wagon
|railway wagon
|coal wagon
|open wagon
|tank wagon
Synonyms
freight car (Common American English term for the same thing on a train.)
Antonyms
passenger car (A railway vehicle designed to carry people instead of goods.)
Themes
transport
|industry
|transportation
|business
|work
Definition
A train car that is used to carry goods or materials, not people.
A railway vehicle used for transporting goods or materials, usually not powered itself and pulled by a locomotive; commonly called a goods wagon or freight wagon.
NOUN
C1
SLANG
4
Usage pattern:
a [adjective] old wagon
That miserable old wagon on the council complained about the music again.
Az a nyomorult vén hárpia a tanácsból már megint panaszkodott a zene miatt.
She can be a real wagon when she doesn't get her own way.
Igazi hárpia tud lenni, amikor nem az történik, amit ő akar.
Some people still use the word "wagon" as a rude name for a difficult woman.
He called her a stupid wagon and then immediately regretted it.
Don't be such a wagon; we're only five minutes late.
Learner examples
He called her a wagon, and she was very angry.
Hárpiának nevezte, és ő nagyon dühös lett.
In this town, some people use "wagon" as a rude word for a woman.
Ebben a városban egyesek a „wagon” szót sértő szóként használják nőkre.
Do not call someone a wagon; it is not polite.
She thinks her boss is a real wagon.
The word "wagon" here is an insult, not about a car.
Common mistake:
Learners may not realize this meaning is insulting and region-specific. It should be used with great care, if at all, and is not appropriate in polite conversation.
Meaning
Insulting term for a woman
Collocations
silly old wagon
|miserable old wagon
|stupid wagon
|a nasty old wagon
Synonyms
cow (Common British/Australian insult for a woman; similar level of rudeness, often slightly stronger.)
Antonyms
sweetheart (An affectionate term for a kind, likable person, the opposite attitude to calling someone a "wagon".)
Themes
people
|insults
|communication
|relationships
Definition
A rude word for a woman who someone thinks is unpleasant or silly.
An insulting term, mainly in some varieties of British and Australian English, for a woman considered unpleasant, annoying, foolish, or bad-tempered.
Grammar
Dictionary form
wagon
IPA
GB/wˈæɡən/
US/wˈæɡən/
Syllables & stress
wag - on (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (wag)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: wagon
- Plural: wagon, wagons
Word family
Forms
wagons
noun
Advanced or less common
wagoner
noun
Expressions
circle the wagons
1/sˈɚkəl ðə wˈæɡənz/
idiom
informal
Unite to defend against attacks
For a group to come together and protect itself from outside attack or criticism.
Examples
- When the company was criticized in the press, management quickly circled the wagons.
- Politicians tend to circle the wagons when one of their own is under fire.
- The family circled the wagons and supported her when the scandal broke.
fall off the wagon
1/fˈɔl ˈɔf ðə wˈæɡən/
idiom
informal
Start drinking again after stopping
To start drinking alcohol again after you had stopped for some time.
Examples
- He fell off the wagon after losing his job and started drinking every night.
- She’s afraid she’ll fall off the wagon if she goes to the bar with her coworkers.
- He had been sober for two years before he fell off the wagon last month.
hitch your wagon to someone or something
1/hˈɪt͡ʃ jˈʊɹ wˈæɡən tə sˈʌmwˌʌn ˈɔɹ sˈʌmθɪŋ/
idiom
Attach your future to another’s success
To try to become successful by closely connecting yourself to a successful or powerful person, group, or idea.
Examples
- Many young politicians tried to hitch their wagon to the popular new leader.
- If you hitch your wagon to that startup, you’re taking a big risk.
- She decided to hitch her wagon to the environmental movement early in her career.
off the wagon
1/ˈɔf ðə wˈæɡən/
idiom
informal
Drinking again after abstaining
To be drinking alcohol again after a time when you did not drink any.
Examples
- He was doing well for months, but now he’s off the wagon again.
- Everyone could tell he was off the wagon when he arrived drunk at the party.
- She’s worried he might go off the wagon during the holidays.
on the wagon
1/ˈɔn ðə wˈæɡən/
idiom
informal
Not drinking alcohol at present
To not drink any alcohol for a time, usually after drinking too much before.
Examples
- After his health scare, he went on the wagon and hasn’t had a drink in six months.
- I’m on the wagon this year, so I’ll just have a soda.
- She promised her family she would stay on the wagon until the baby is born.