"trolley" means: A trolley pole; a single-pole device for collecting electrical current from an overhead electrical line, normally for a tram/streetcar or a.... This is a fairly neutral word with no inherent risk attached. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than something dangerous. If your child uses it, context will usually make the meaning clear. A brief, curious question about where they heard it is generally enough to know whether to follow up.
trolley
A trolley pole; a single-pole device for collecting electrical current from an overhead electrical line, normally for a tram/streetcar or a trolleybus.
/tɹˈɑli/Documented since 1820sSilenthistoricalCurrent218 viewsLast reviewed Jun 29, 2026＋ Add a definition
Seen in the wild
10 citations · last seen May 2026
Etymology timeline
Born ~1823 · 1 year of recorded use19th centurySee decade cohort →
Seen in the wild
BlueskyMay 2026
Absolutely no way a cashier isn't spotting a 44kg bag of dog food under your trolley. Absolutely no chance. And I speak as someone who currently works in a supermarket.
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BlueskyMay 2026
I’m not saying there’s no danger of anything, but I am saying you shouldn’t yell trolley problem logic when you’re only hearing a train horn far enough away to maybe try another plan
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BlueskyMay 2026
LEGACY - a Picnic Time Brand Bodega Rolling Wine Cooler, Insulated 12-Bottle Tote with Integrated Trolley and Luggage, (Black) #picnictime #trolley #picnic #travel #winecooler #polyester
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BlueskyMay 2026
KNIPEX Tool Case "Big Basic Move", Empty, on Wheels, Telescopic Handle, 54 Inserting Options, 33 L Volume, Tool Trolley, Rolling Toolbox, 00 21 06 LE #ToolCase #TelescopicHandle #EmptyCase #Wheels #ToolTrolley #BigBas…
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BlueskyMay 2026
44lb is about 20kg. Bottom of the trolley, customer forgets, cashier not overly paying attention and yeah, it's entirely plausible. Seen it happen enough by accident but this fesser is being an intentional thief and…
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Definitions
UK
#1·Apr 27, 2026UK
A trolley pole; a single-pole device for collecting electrical current from an overhead electrical line, normally for a tram/streetcar or a trolleybus.
About a shopping trolley, I thought I'd let ye know. Ya'd try to push it straight but it never seems ta go. Ya'd wobble through the car park, hopping off the cars. Anyone would think ya had a few auld jars.
Origin: Early 19th century (1823) meaning "cart", of dialectal origin (Suffolk), probably from. Origin information sourced from Wiktionary contributors (CC BY-SA 4.0).
For parents
"trolley" means: A trolley pole; a single-pole device for collecting electrical current from an overhead electrical line, normally for a tram/streetcar or a.... This is a fairly neutral word with no inherent risk attached. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than something dangerous. If your child uses it, context will usually make the meaning clear. A brief, curious question about where they heard it is generally enough to know whether to follow up.
For ESL learners
"trolley" means: A trolley pole; a single-pole device for collecting electrical current from an overhead electrical line, normally for a tram/streetcar or a.... Register: neutral, standard English, usable in most everyday contexts. A common non-native mistake is to use the word in the wrong register, or to assume one fixed meaning when it is actually polysemous; always check the surrounding register and the audience before producing it yourself. In formal writing, prefer a neutral synonym or a short descriptive phrase, and use this word only when you have heard or read it being used naturally in a comparable context.
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UK
#2·Apr 27, 2026UK
(US, colloquial) A light rail, tramway, trolleybus or streetcar system.
About a shopping trolley, I thought I'd let ye know. Ya'd try to push it straight but it never seems ta go. Ya'd wobble through the car park, hopping off the cars. Anyone would think ya had a few auld jars.
Heard in the wild
“Well I’m sure you’re proud of yourself then for taking the high moral ground and not pulling the trolley switch.”
— Bluesky· May 2026“Well, the garden centre was chaos! All the plants were leaping from the shelves like lemmings. It was all I could to catch them in my trolley! 🪴🛒”
— Bluesky· May 2026“To mark the #InternationalDayoftheMidwife, #OneTeamOneOUH wellbeing trolley toured maternity with Professional Midwifery Advocates and members of the Senior Leadership Team, stopping to meet, thank, and celebrate our incredible midwives for the huge impact they make.”
— Bluesky· May 2026“Quang quang quang went the trolley.”
— Bluesky· May 2026“It's terrible when that happens, isn't it? I always find some of them sneak into my trolley when I'm not looking.”
— Bluesky· May 2026
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UK
#3·Apr 27, 2026UK
(US) A streetcar or light train.
About a shopping trolley, I thought I'd let ye know. Ya'd try to push it straight but it never seems ta go. Ya'd wobble through the car park, hopping off the cars. Anyone would think ya had a few auld jars.
Heard in the wild
“Absolutely no way a cashier isn't spotting a 44kg bag of dog food under your trolley. Absolutely no chance. And I speak as someone who currently works in a supermarket.”
— Bluesky· May 2026“I’m not saying there’s no danger of anything, but I am saying you shouldn’t yell trolley problem logic when you’re only hearing a train horn far enough away to maybe try another plan”
— Bluesky· May 2026“LEGACY - a Picnic Time Brand Bodega Rolling Wine Cooler, Insulated 12-Bottle Tote with Integrated Trolley and Luggage, (Black) #picnictime #trolley #picnic #travel #winecooler #polyester”
— Bluesky· May 2026“KNIPEX Tool Case "Big Basic Move", Empty, on Wheels, Telescopic Handle, 54 Inserting Options, 33 L Volume, Tool Trolley, Rolling Toolbox, 00 21 06 LE #ToolCase #TelescopicHandle #EmptyCase #Wheels #ToolTrolley #BigBasicMove”
— Bluesky· May 2026“44lb is about 20kg. Bottom of the trolley, customer forgets, cashier not overly paying attention and yeah, it's entirely plausible. Seen it happen enough by accident but this fesser is being an intentional thief and therfore is a prick.”
— Bluesky· May 2026
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For specific readers
Why is this section here?
Slang is read by different audiences for very different reasons. The For parents view re-explains the term in plain, non-judgemental language so a caregiver can understand what their child means without needing the surrounding subculture. The For English learners view focuses on register (when it's safe to use), formal alternatives, and common mistakes — what a textbook won't teach you.
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UK
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Related terms
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Semantically related
- streetcar62%
(North America) A tram or light rail vehicle, usually a single car but sometimes multiple cars attached together, operating on city streets; a trolley car.
- Stobie pole57%
(Australia, chiefly, South Australia) A pole for supporting power lines, consisting of a tapered slab of concrete bracketed by steel joists.
- shopping trolley56%
(UK, Irish, Commonwealth) A shopping cart.