Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- A former cattle trail from San Antonio, Texas, north to Abilene, Kansas. It was important from the 1860s to the 1880s, when it fell into disuse following the expansion of the railroads and the introduction of barbed-wire fencing.
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- noun a former cattle trail from San Antonio in Texas to Abilene in Kansas; not used after the 1880s
Etymologies
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Examples
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Confusion over the origin of the name Chisholm Trail is to be found throughout the history of the cattle trade.
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"There are plaques and markers indicating this is the site of the Chisholm Trail, which is where they did the Longhorn Cattle drives back in the 1800s."
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Jay students emerged from the Chisholm Trail, which is an old railroad bed.
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The trail, called The Chisholm Trail by cowboys in honor of Jessie Chisholm, was more accurately called "Black Beaver Trail" by the Indians in honor of the Black Beaver's sacrifice on behalf of the United States government in leading the U.S. troops out of Indian Territory into Kansas.
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(Soundbite of song, "Cross the Brazos at Waco") Mr. BILLY WALKER (Singer): (Singing) On the Chisholm Trail it was midnight.
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(Soundbite of song, "Cross the Brazos at Waco") Mr. BILLY WALKER (Singer): (Singing) On the Chisholm Trail it was midnight.
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Quoting Sam Houston on the importance of transportation “We must all lay our hands to it as a great and mighty work of national interest . . .”, the report invoked the sweep of history—the animal trails, the Indian paths, the Spanish Camino Real, the Chisholm Trail, the railroads—and went on to introduce the largest engineering project ever proposed for Texas.
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By this time the Chisholm Trail was worn deep like a river, two hundred to four hundred yards wide, with circular bedding grounds at regular intervals trampled by the passing herds.
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Even before the great cattle drives up the Chisholm Trail, vaqueros in Mexico were holding tournaments for the best ropers and riders.
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Pointing due north along the line running from Monument Hill through the boulder, he said that the treasure should be just a few yards to the east of the Chisholm Trail, near the tree-lined gully.
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