Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun On European railways, the van or car in a freight-train to the wheels of which the brake is applied. See brake, 9.

Etymologies

Sorry, no etymologies found.

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Examples

  • About Tell el-Kabír, the brake-van also waxed unsafely warm; but it reached Zagázig without developing more caloric.

    The Land of Midian 2003

  • The Station Master concealed himself in the shadow of a brake-van that had a little tin chimney and was labelled: —

    The Railway Children Edith 2003

  • The Station Master concealed himself in the shadow of a brake-van that had a little tin chimney and was labelled: —

    The Railway Children Edith 2003

  • "De Aar," and the Africander guard flung himself out of his brake-van.

    On the Heels of De Wet Lionel James 1913

  • After forty-eight hours of semi-starvation in a brake-van, the name of the junction, in spite of the ill-natured tones which gave voice to it, sounded sweeter than the chimes of bells.

    On the Heels of De Wet Lionel James 1913

  • Fortunately there was a goods train immediately following the mail, and some four hours afterwards our big friend alighted from a goods brake-van in a furious temper.

    Here, There and Everywhere Frederick Spencer Hamilton 1892

  • The Station Master concealed himself in the shadow of a brake-van that had a little tin chimney and was labelled: --

    The Railway Children 1891

  • About Tell el-Kabír, the brake-van also waxed unsafely warm; but it reached Zagázig without developing more caloric.

    The Land of Midian — Volume 2 Richard Francis Burton 1855

  • NF railway officials said they have been able to save 31 tankers, two safety tankers and the brake-van.

    Times Now 2009

  • She was just steaming out to sea as my train came in, and since the rest of the Fleet were either coaling or busy at the rifle-ranges a thousand feet up the hill, I found myself stranded, lunchless, on the sea-front with no hope of return to Cape Town before five P.M. At this crisis I had the luck to come across my friend Inspector Hooper, Cape Government Railways, in command of an engine and a brake-van chalked for repair.

    Traffics and Discoveries Rudyard Kipling 1900

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