What is "tram"

Tram \Tram\, n. [Prov. E. tram a coal wagon, the shaft of a cart or carriage, a beam or bar; probably of Scand, origin; cf. OSw. tr[*a]m, trum, a beam, OD. drom, Prov. & OHG. tram.]

1. A four-wheeled truck running on rails, and used in a mine, as for carrying coal or ore.

2. The shaft of a cart. [Prov. Eng.]
   --De Quincey.

3. One of the rails of a tramway.

4. A car on a horse railroad. [Eng.]

   Tram car, a car made to run on a tramway, especially a street railway car.

   Tram plate, a flat piece of iron laid down as a rail.

   Tram pot (Milling), the step and support for the lower end of the spindle of a millstone.

Tram \Tram\, n. [Sp. trama weft, or F. trame.] A silk thread formed of two or more threads twisted together, used especially for the weft, or cross threads, of the best quality of velvets and silk goods.

Tram \Tram\, n. (Mech.) Same as Trammel, n., 6.

Tram \Tram\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Trammed; p. pr. & vb. n. Tramming.] To convey or transport on a tramway or on a tram car.

Tram \Tram\, v. i. To operate, or conduct the business of, a tramway; to travel by tramway.

c.1500, "beam or shaft of a barrow or sledge," also "a barrow or truck body" (1510s), Scottish, originally in reference to the iron trucks used in coal mines, probably from Middle Flemish tram "beam, handle of a barrow, bar, rung," a North Sea Germanic word of unknown origin. The sense of "track for a barrow, tramway" is first recorded 1826; that of "streetcar" is first recorded 1879, short for tram-car "car used on a tramway" (1873).

Etymology 1 n. 1 (context UK rail transport English) A passenger vehicle for public use that runs on tracks in the road. 2 A similar vehicle for carrying materials. 3 (context obsolete English) The shaft of a cart. 4 (context obsolete English) One of the rails of a tramway. 5 (context UK obsolete English) A car on a horse railroad. vb. 1 (cx transitive English) To transport (material) by tram. 2 (cx intransitive English) To operate, or conduct the business of, a tramway. 3 (cx intransitive English) To travel by tram. Etymology 2

n. A silk thread formed of two or more threads twisted together, used especially for the weft, or cross threads, of the best quality of velvets and silk goods.

1. n. a conveyance that transports passengers or freight in carriers suspended from cables and supported by a series of towers [syn: tramway, aerial tramway, cable tramway, ropeway]

2. a four-wheeled wagon that runs on tracks in a mine; "a tramcar carries coal out of a coal mine" [syn: tramcar]

3. a wheeled vehicle that runs on rails and is propelled by electricity; "`tram' and `tramcar' are British terms" [syn: streetcar, tramcar, trolley, trolley car]

4. [also: tramming, trammed]

A tram (also known as tramcar; and in North America known as streetcar, trolley or trolley car) is a rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets, and also sometimes on a segregated right of way. The lines or networks operated by tramcars are called tramways. Tramways powered by electricity, the most common type historically, were once called electric street railways. However, trams were widely used in urban areas before the universal adoption of electrification; other methods of powering trams are listed below under "History".

Tram lines may also run between cities and/or towns (for example, interurbans, tram-train), and/or partially grade-separated even in the cities ( light rail). Very occasionally, trams also carry freight. Tram vehicles are usually lighter and shorter than conventional :trains and rapid transit trains, but the size of trams (particularly light rail vehicles) is rapidly increasing. Some trams (for instance tram-trains) may also run on ordinary railway tracks, a tramway may be upgraded to a light rail or a rapid transit line, two urban tramways may be connected to an interurban, etc. For all these reasons, the differences between the various modes of rail transportation are often indistinct. In the United States, the term tram has sometimes been used for rubber-tired trackless trains, which are not related to the other vehicles covered in this article.

Today, most trams use electrical power, usually fed by an overhead pantograph; in some cases by a sliding shoe on a third rail, trolley pole or bow collector. If necessary, they may have dual power systems — electricity in city streets, and diesel in more rural environments. Trams are now included in the wider term " light rail", which also includes segregated systems.

A tram is a rail-based public transport system, or the type of vehicle used on such a system, which runs primarily on streets (also known as a tramcar, trolley or streetcar); also used in mining.

Tram (or trams) may also mean:

Tram was a British musical duo composed of Paul Anderson and Nick Avery. Pioneers in the Slowcore movement, Tram was recognized for lush instrumentation played at a very slow pace. Tram recorded three albums, all of which were well received by fans and the music press. Their first album, Heavy Black frame was produced by multi-instrumentalist Clive Painter and features him and his partner in Broken Dog Martine Roberts alongside Placebo (band) keyboardist Bill Lloyd. Heavy Black Frame was released on the Piao! label in the UK and Jetset Records in USA. The subsequent UK albums appeared on Setanta Records. In January 2009 Paul Anderson and Clive Painter formed a new band called the 99 Call and performed their first show in Rimini, Italy in July 2009. The performance was in part a celebration of the tenth anniversary of the release of 'Heavy Black Frame'.

Tram (Czech: Tramvaj) is a 2012 Czech short animated film directed by Michaela Pavlátová.