toboggan en · NOUN
Pronunciation
Etymology
The noun is attested since 1829, the verb since 1846. Both derive from French tabaganne, which derives from an Algonquian word, probably Mi'kmaq tepaqan or Abenaki dabôgan, influenced by similar words in other Eastern Canadian Algonquian languages. The sense of "hat" is recorded since 1929 and is short for toboggan cap (1928), a cap suitable for wearing while tobogganing.
Meanings
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A long sled without runners, with the front end curled upwards, which may be pulled across snow by a cord or used to coast down hills.
Every half hour or so one or the other would steal off with snowshoes and toboggan to make the round of the holes, often returning with half a dozen fish that together weighed perhaps twelve pounds, perhaps twenty-four pounds[…]
1897, Charles A. Bramble, “Winter Fishing Through the Ice”, in The Sportsman's Magazine, page 430:Toboggan has not yet found its Way into the dictionaries, and there are other ways of spelling it.
1877, John Russell Bartlett, Dictionary of Americanisms, 2nd enlarged edition:The toboggan may be described as a flat plank turned up at one end.
1885, A. T. Tucker (Alfred Thomas Tucker) Wise, Alpine Winter in Its Medical Aspects: With Notes on Davos Platz, Wiesen, St. Moritz, and the Maloja:The “toboggan” is a light flat sleigh, used by the Canadian aborigines to bring home over the snow the spoils of the hunt.
1884, Henry Chadwick, The Sports and Pastimes of American Boys: A Guide and Text-book of Games of the Play-ground, the Parlor, and the Field Adapted Especially for American Youth, G. Routledge and sons, page 201:Nothing could be more exciting and exhilarating than a slide, on sleigh or toboggan, from the lofty summit of the ice-mound or cone down to its base.
1882, Louis Prosper Bender, Old and New Canada. 1753-1844: Historic Scenes and Social Pictures, Or, The Life of Joseph-Francois Perrault:A toboggan consists of two pieces of bark joined side by side and curved up at the front.
1887, Marjory Kennedy-Fraser, David Kennedy, David Kennedy: The Scottish Singer : Reminiscences of His Life and Work:Trenance Park has gardens, a toboggan run, miniature golf and the indoor delights of Water World with its tropical fun pool and flumes.
2006, Rita Tregellas Pope, Landmark Visitors Guide Cornwall & the Isles of Scilly:
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(Canada, US) A similar sled of wood, pulled by dogs, possibly with steel runners, made to transport cargo.
The steer dog next to the sleigh prevents this by immediately leading off at a sixty-degree angle from the direction the others are going, thereby compensating for the sidewise stress and keeping the toboggan in the clear until the bend has been passed.
2006, Cornelius Osgood, Winter:These animals are harnessed by a padded collar to a light flat sleigh, of skins stretched across a frame of thin wood, called a toboggan.
1889, John G. Donkin, Trooper and Redskin in the Far North-west: Recollections of Life in the North-west Mounted Police:The old toboggan has been laid aside, and sleighs or waggons dash along the streets.
1847, Abraham Gesner, New Brunswick; with Notes for Emigrants: Comprehending the Early History, an Account of the Indians, Settlement, Topography, Statistics, Commerce, Timber, Manufactures, Agriculture, Fisheries, Geology, Natural History, Social and Political State, Immigrants, and Contemplated Railways of that Province:
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(figuratively) Something which, once it starts going (figuratively) downhill, is unstoppable until it reaches the bottom.
McGinnity began to hit the toboggan in 1906, after he had pitched his arm off the previous year. Last season his efforts at times were painful.
1907, Joe Vila, The Sporting News, read in Gordon H. Fleming, The Unforgettable Season (2006)If we were to hit the toboggan of a depression, wages would drop.
1948, U.S. House of Representatives, Hearing before the Committee on Banking and Currency, on S.J. Res. 157, joint resolution to aid in protecting the Nation's economy against inflationary pressures. 80th Congress, 2nd Session July 29-August 4, 1948:We all have found out that once a show goes into rehearsal, it's a toboggan slide and there's not enough time. So we had six months of preproduction meetings.
1992, Sheldon Harnick, from an interview featured in The Art of the American Musical: Conversations with the Creators (2005), edited by Jackson R. Bryer, Richard Allan DavisonFarming was on “the toboggan.” New settlers who had purchased land could not meet their deferred payments.
1989, C.W. Peterson, Wake Up, Canada!: Reflections on Vital National Issues:The fact that I agreed showed that there was no hope of getting off the toboggan more than momentarily.
2003, Jim Harrison, Off to the Side: A Memoir:
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(Southern-US, Virginia, West, qualifier:especially South Carolina; North Carolina; especially South Carolina; North Carolina) A knit cap, designed to provide warmth in cold weather.
We used an old toboggan stuffed with cotton for the ball, and it served the purpose very well.
2006, Frances Stegall, Grass Roots: 80 Years in Bailey Co.:If you must adorn your dog with a hat, go with a toboggan-style hat. If It was good enough for Snoopy, It Is definitely good enough for your dog.
2005, Dave Smith, Life's Too Short to Be an Underdog...And Other Spiritual Life Lessons I Learned from My Dog:Sissy bounded back in dressed in a heavy sweater and toboggan.
1992, Wallace Neal Briggs, Riverside Remembered:Suppose we wish to make a pointed cap, such as used to be known as a toboggan cap, from yarn or worsted.
1915, William Rush Dunton, Occupation therapy:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| tobogin | alternative | lexicographic | |
| toboggin | alternative | lexicographic | |
| toboggans | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Coordinates
dogsled (sled pulled by dogs)
Descendants
Relateds
luge · sleigh · luge sled · bobsled · skeleton sled · bobsleigh
Synonyms
watch cap (knit cap) · beanie (knit cap) · toboggan cap · carriole (sled pulled by dogs) · sledge (sled pulled by dogs) · sled (sled without runners) · cariole (sled pulled by dogs) · tuque (knit cap) · sledge (sled without runners)
Translations (30)
es tobogán (long sled without runners) · fi pulkka (long sled without runners) · fi reki (sled pulled by dogs, with runners) · ja トボガンぞり (long sled without runners) · mi panunu (long sled without runners) · pl tobogan (long sled without runners) · oj nabagidaabaan (long sled without runners) · taa dechexwtl (long sled without runners) · fr tabaganne (long sled without runners) · fi koirareki (sled pulled by dogs, with runners) · mi pānukunuku (long sled without runners) · de Toboggan (long sled without runners) · cy tobogan (long sled without runners) · cy sled (long sled without runners) · ru са́ни (long sled without runners) · pl zapaść (figuratively: something that slides downhill uncontrolled) · ca tobogan (long sled without runners) · hu tobogán (long sled without runners) · pt tobogã (long sled without runners) · oj zhooshkodaabaan (long sled without runners) · bg тобоган (sled pulled by dogs, with runners) · ru тобогга́н (long sled without runners) · fr toboggan (long sled without runners) · cmn 雪橇 (long sled without runners) · pl czapka (knit cap) · ja トボガン (long sled without runners) · fi pipo (knit cap) · fi ahkio (long sled without runners) · bg тобоган (long sled without runners) · pl tobogan (sled pulled by dogs, with runners)