Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A patrol wagon.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • a paddy wagon.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun slang A police van for transporting prisoners.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun van used by police to transport prisoners
  • noun a form of whist in which players avoid winning tricks containing hearts or the queen of spades

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Origin unknown.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

Unknown, but first usage is from the 1830's.

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Examples

  • And I fancied myself that I looked the part on a horse called Black Maria

    Bulls of the Speewah 1997

  • Engel, a pioneer in experimental animation and one of the artists who worked on the motion picture "Fantasia," said he believed "the Black Maria was the only place for years that he could go to in order to show his films."

    Crimson White RSS 2009

  • "We chose to take part in the festival again because while we do show commercial movies, part of our mission as a theatre is to bring the community new, cutting edge, independent films, and the Black Maria is a great way to do just that."

    Crimson White RSS 2009

  • It was indeed the Teuton "Black Maria," and we were hurried upstairs to be tumbled into it.

    Sixteen Months in Four German Prisons Wesel, Sennelager, Klingelputz, Ruhleben Frederick Arthur Ambrose Talbot

  • They thrust him into a cell room, where other prisoners were waiting; and as soon as court had adjourned they led him down with them into the "Black Maria," and drove him away.

    The Jungle Upton Sinclair 1923

  • They thrust him into a cell room, where other prisoners were waiting; and as soon as court had adjourned they led him down with them into the "Black Maria," and drove him away.

    The Jungle 1906

  • By that time, Magee’s device, called the Black Maria, had been tormenting local drivers for three years.

    You Shouldn’t Have 2008

  • By that time, Magee’s device, called the Black Maria, had been tormenting local drivers for three years.

    May 2008 2008

  • The excitement of the cells then awaits them, to be followed by a free ride in "Black Maria," unless "muvver" can pawn something and raise the money, But many mothers cannot do this, others do not trouble; as to

    London's Underworld Thomas Holmes 1882

  • This is known as "Black Maria," and may be daily seen rumbling through the city on its way from the Police Courts to the ferry to Blackwell's Island.

    Lights and Shadows of New York Life or, the Sights and Sensations of the Great City James Dabney McCabe 1862

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